


Veni. Vidi. Cecidi ad vos...

by Apollynos



Series: Vanitas [1]
Category: Captive Prince - C. S. Pacat
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pre-Canon, Ancient Traditions, Ancient bond between men, Bathing/Washing, Bottom Damen (Captive Prince), Bottomianos, Developing Friendships, Developing Relationship, Explicit Sexual Content, Fate, First Time Blow Jobs, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Gay Sex, Hint to Erômenos/Erastes Relationship, M/M, Massage, Masturbation, Mention of Greek Gods, Pederasty, Porn with Feelings, Pre-Canon, So they going to do the best out of it, Soulmates, Strangers to Lovers, They know they can't have each other for long, Underage Sex, Weaponbrother, confused damen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-27
Updated: 2020-03-01
Packaged: 2021-01-04 13:00:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 9
Words: 22,459
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21198050
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Apollynos/pseuds/Apollynos
Summary: I came. I saw. I fell for you.Nikandros, a soldier of King Theomedes guard, was training on the trainingfield as the crownprince Damianos approached him and asked him to train with him.They both didn't expect that something more grew out of this training and becoming soon something so much bigger.A story about a strong friendship between a young man and a boy, developing strong feelings for each other and not knowing what the future could bring but they both know that their friendship will be something for the eternety.





	1. Ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem

**Author's Note:**

> This was supposed to be a One Shot... and than it got longer and longer. xD"  
So I decided to split into a FanFiction. The Idea of it won't get off of my mind, I found those bondings pretty interesting from the ancient greek times and it fitted perfect in my opinion :D (Also I reference strongly to the story of Achilles/Patroclus because those two are my real OTP and I love their story so much and Nik/Damen remind me so much of them somehow... <3)
> 
> But basically... It all happend because of my Headcanon Nikandros being the elder and more experienced one then Damen.
> 
> *
> 
> FunFact - I worked on this FF now for one week in silence, it's not completely finished yet but I decided to start translating now before I have... too much to translate at once. :D
> 
> Upload will happen every second day. :)

The sun was high above the sky of Ios, no cloud was to be seen at this and a cool breeze of the sea air blew over the open training place, balanced the summer heat a little.

Nikandros rubbed his forearm over his sweaty forehead, leaning the wooden sword against the stone bench of his place, went over to a small well. His breath went intermittently and he felt exhausted, he formed a bowl with his hand and let it sink into the clear cool water and then led the water filled hand to his lips and drank from it. He repeated the process several times and then wiped his face and neck with his wet hand before looking up again and stumbling back almost shocked. Before him stood Damianos, the son of King Theomedes and Queen Egeria – May her soul be with the Gods above them. Nikandros’ eyes widened and he felt a pleasant heat spreading in his body, which was not caused by the training and the summer weather. Damianos smiled at him broadly, a dimple forming on his left cheek and his brown eyes shining as bright as the sun above them.

  
“Nikandros, right?”, he asked. His voice was warm and soft, scratched a little at the hard spoken “R” and you could hear that he had exceeded the voice break.

“Right.” Nikandros stood up straight, had slowly caught himself again, it was not as if the presence of the boy intimidated him, much more it had simply been unexpected that Damianos had approached him. He had seen him more often at the training ground but most of the time he had been with the boys of his age.

“I have seen you train, you are good with the sword”, Damianos continued to speak unflinchingly and Nikandros listened to him, said nothing first. “Would you like to train a round with me? I’ve been looking for a worthy opponent for a long time”, the Prince said then.

Nikandros had to grin amused at the sentence. He had seen Damianos handle the sword; the boy was good but still a little green, which was no danger to his peers who were at least as green as he was. Nikandros replied: “I train with you. Where’s your sword?”

Damianos grinned wider, if this was still possible and proudly lifted his wooden sword which he had leaned against the well. Nikandros nodded thoughtfully and told the crown prince to follow him.

“Please don’t be squeamish with me, okay?” Damianos demanded seriously and positioned himself, holding the sword handle in both hands, his arms were tense and the muscles that formed slowly from the training came to the fore a little more clearly, his legs were stable at a good distance apart and left room for quick movements. Nikandros appreciated the good posture inwardly very much.

“Don’t worry, I wasn’t going to do so, my prince”, Nikandros replied, much like the soldier of the kings guard he was and swung his wooden sword before he stood in position. His sword lay loosely in his hand.

“Oh please, no reason for formalities”, Damianos grinned and then gave him a challenging look as he took a step forward, slightly moving to the right, he let his sword raised down to Nikandros’. He reacted, backed away and lowered his sword parrying Damianos, their blades crossed and Nikandros pushed Damianos’ blade to the ground with ease.

“Not bad but still too slow”, the elder man said teasingly and the princes eyes narrowed dangerously.

“One more and this time be faster and see that you don’t overdo it with your sword, this costs unnecessary strength and gives the opponent more time to avoid and beat”, Nikandros explained to him and took a step back. Damianos nodded understandingly and withdrew his sword to himself, his grip strengthened and he put Nikandros’ advice into action the next stroke.

“Already better”, Nikandros said, who could parry the blow of Daminos but this time needed more power than the previous time.

Damianos smiled contentedly at him.

Nikandros didn’t know how much time had already passed, but he didn’t really care, because training with the young prince in swordfight was really fun for him. Damianos had potential, for his age he was good but not yet so good, he still made mistakes, was slow in some places and a little too cocky in others and underestimated his opponent and the situation but Damianos learned quickly. Nikandros gave him advice and Damianos put it into practice pretty soon. At some point they had both thrown their wooden swords beside them. Damianos was slightly bend forward, his hands resting on his knees and his breath was quick with exertion, sweat had formed on his body and his dark wild hair was hanging wet from his temple and stuck to his forehead.

Nikandros wasn’t better, he was also exhausted from the training and his black hair stuck wet in his neck.

“Do you think we can train again tomorrow?” Damianos asked after some time of silence and catching their breath.

Nikandros first looked at him in astonishment but then nodded with a small smile: “That would be great.”

Damianos grinned broadly: “Good. You’re really a great opponent and at the same time a good mentor.”

Nikandros felt how pride came up in him and let his smile continue, his heart beating faster than usual flattered by it.

“And you a good and fast learner, my prince”, Nikandros replied with a respectful nod. Damianos looked away a little embarrassed and said: “You can call me by my name, its fine, honestly.”

Nikandros smiled warmly at him and nodded: “Good. Damianos.”

*

Damianos had said goodbye to Nikandros and had run back home. He felt so charged with energy, although the sword training was exhausting, especially because they had been training for such a long time, because both had lost track of time at some point, they only became aware of it when the sun disappeared completely behind the horizon and the darkness slowly spread over Ios. Damianos knew it was already much too late, his father always rebuked him for being back before the dark, his mother would have told him the same thing if she was alive, so his father took over the job now and he usually kept to it. Usually, but today was an exception and it had been worth it.

Damianos went through the great gate of the palace, the guards nodded at him respectfully and he returned it with a light smile on his lips. He walked quietly through the halls as his father met him.

“Damianos.”  
He stopped abruptly and lowered his gaze: “Father.”

“What else had I told you about coming home? Always be back before sunset”, his father didn’t sound angry or disappointed, he sound more amused and that irritated Damianos somehow.

“I know, Father.”

“Look at me boy.”

Damianos raised his head and looked up at his father, who gave him a warm look. “Have you been training again?” It was obvious, he knew it, his cheeks were still redded, sweat stuck on his skin and his hair was still slightly wet but he knew that his father asked to show interest and Damianos appreciated that very much.

“Yes, I trained in swordfight today”, Damianos said with a proud grin: “I’m getting better and better at it.”

“I’m glad to hear that. Who’d you train with? You don’t look like you trained alone.”

Damianos fought back the rising warm feeling and said: “With Nikandros.”

His father smiled wide: “Ah. He’s a good man and good swordsman also the best solider in our ranks.”

The prince smiled and nodded approvingly. His father was right about that, Nikandros was really good, better than anyone he had trained with before. He was even better than Kastor and much friendlier in dealing with him when a mistake had happened.

His father put one hand on Damianos’ shoulder and pressed it gently, Damianos felt comforting warmth running through his body.

“When you see him again tomorrow, give him my regards and tell him I’d like to talk to him.”

“I will”, Damianos said, hoping that Nikandros would not get into trouble because he had held him up for so long today and apparently his concern must shown openly on his face, because his father said calmly: “I don’t want to discuss anything bad with him, just a king-to-solider conversation. Nothing to worry about it.”

Relieved Damianos sighed quietly and said: “Okay. Good night, father.”

His father smiled warmly at him and also wished him a good night before they parted ways.

Damianos went into his room and dropped the door behind him; he sat down on the edge of his bed and began to unlace his sandals to slip them from his feet. He lay back on the mattress and looked up at the ceiling. Somehow he felt weird and he couldn’t really figure out why. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply, Nikandros appeared before his inner eye. He could see all his distinctive features clearly in front of him. His black long hair loosely tied in a plait, his sharp-edged face, the strong jaw adomed by a dark beard and the deep experienced dark eyes.

Damianos swallowed, a tingling sensation spread in his stomach and a pleasant warmth flowed through his body centre.

It wasn’t as if these physical reactions were something new, Damianos already knew them, it had already appeared once when Damianos had seen Nikandros for the first time during training. How the man moved and let his sword down on the other soldier, he trained with, he had a certain elegance when he struck. His muscles had visibly moved with every movement and Damianos had struggled to get his gaze away from him. The man was beautiful and visually as well as from the fighting style he reminded him of Ares – The God of War, which stood as a symbol for masculinity and strength.

Damianos opened his eyes; he felt it slowly getting tighter in his loincloth and quietly cursed under his breath. He stood up from his bed and opened the needle that held his chiton together on his shoulder and let it slide to the ground. He opened the knot of his loincloth and opened it, thus releasing his considerable erection. Damianos took a deep breath, it’s not like he’s uncomfortable. Heaven, he had often had an erection and was not afraid to touch himself, but the circumstances were different this time and that caused him slight worries. He didn’t really know if it was legitimate for him to feel attracted to an older man. Damianos knew that there was a special connection between a boy and a man, which was more passive in the sexual sense – at least for the boy and this connection should also serve somewhere more as a mentor-student relationship but would Nikandros be open for such a thing? He was so formal to him. He even called him his prince.

Damianos breathed deeply and sat back on his bed, spreading his legs a little and carefully wrapping his hand around his hard cock. He sucked in the air and held his breath, the touch was already so sensitive for him and he knew exactly that he would not hold out long and would come quite quickly to his orgasm. That was new to him, too. It confused him very much that one man managed to get him out of concept that way. He slowly moved his hand over his length, up to the tip, stroking the head with his thumb and then leading his hand back to the base. His heart beat aroused against his chest and Damianos’ breath became heavier. He repeated the process a few times, distributing the droplets of pleasure over his tip and then over the length of his cock. His moaning became louder and he pushed his hips against his own fist, witch which he kept exerting pressure on his hard sensitive cock.

He imagined Nikandros, maybe kneeling between his legs – Even if this would something no man should do for another man, especially not for the prince, only slave should do this but it was his fantasies about how he would like them to be close. His tongue would slide over his length, his big calloused hand massaging his balls. Damianos threw his head moaning into his neck and continued to accelerate. He continued to think of Nikandros, the beautiful dark eyes, the deep smoky calm voice and the black full hair in which he would love to dig his fingers to support himself. With a loud moan and Nikandros’ name on his lips, Damianos poured out in his hand. The white liquid splashed over his stomach and his knuckles. Breathing heavily, Damianos supported himself on the mattress with one hand, while the other was still wrapped around his cock. His hips calmed down from his high and he felt his cock in his hand become flaccid. He finally took his hand away and gave himself a short moment before he stood up and walked on unsteady legs to the small water bowl in his room. He took the linen cloth and moistened it before he cleaned himself with it and carelessly threw the cloth next to the bowl. He had seldom experienced such an intense orgasm, which had the same effect as it has now. Damianos was fascinated and at the same time confused about it. He quietly went back to his bed and climbed onto the mattress, took his pillow and clasped it as if it were a living object that would provide comfort and warmth.

His heart wished for nothing more than to settle down in Nikandros’ strong arms and fall asleep pressed against his warm body.


	2. ab uno disce omnes

„You’re kind of unfocused today Damianos, what’s the matter?“ Nikandros lowered his wooden sword and looked worriedly at the boy in front of him, tilted his head and gave the crown prince an attentive look. Damianos stood upright in front of him, the wooden sword had been knocked out of his hand by Nikandros a few seconds ago and his brown eyes looked unfocused at him. Nikandros could see his emotions fighting behind them.

“Nothing. I just didn’t sleep well, I guess.” Damianos said and bent down to pick up the sword. Nikandros twisted his eyes and let out a quiet snort, he put his foot on the tip of the sword lying on the ground to prevent Damianos from picking it up. Questioning, the young crown prince looked up at him and raised a dark eyebrow.

“You can tell me the truth”, Nikandros said emphatically and Damianos’ gaze became even more confused. Nikandros sighed: “I doubt that you slept badly, you make a fit impression on me. Your condition has been perfect, even better than yesterday; only your reaction has completely diminished with the time, almost as if you were somewhere else with your thoughts.”

Damianos’ gaze grew big and he opened his mouth to say something, but he visibly decided against it, which almost made Nikandros smile.

“I…” Damianos finally started before he flinched a little with his head and shook it almost helpless, he looked at Nikandros.

“I suppose I’m right about what I just said?” Nikandros crossed his arms in front of his chest and stepped off the wooden blade.

Damianos nodded. “Yes, you are right. How it come that you can read me so well after just one day?”

Nikandros had to laugh but he caught himself quickly before he cleared his throat and then said: “You are like an open book. You carry your emotions to the outside and your eyes speak more than thousands words to someone, you can see in them what is going on inside you. You are one of the very honest kind and I’m also just a little more experienced with people, believe me when I tell you that but at some point you learn to look behind the curtains.”

“Understand”, Damianos mumbled quietly, visibly overwhelmed by the open direct sentence, then he put on his usual smile again and said: “But it’s honestly nothing you need to worry about.” Nikandros nodded, he was just about to say something, when Damianos fell into his word again: “I shall tell you something from my father.”

Nikandros became perplexed and blinked at him: “From the king? What should you tell me?”

“He assured me it wasn’t something bad and I believe him, he’s an honest man. He just had only asked me to tell you that he would like to speak to you. From King to soldier, he said.”

He nodded understandingly. The King wanted to talk to him. What was the matter? Happened something?

“Thanks for letting me know, Damianos”, smiled Nikandros: “I guess I’ll pay him a visit after the training.”

“If you want we can go back to the palace together?”

“I would like that.”

Nikandros’ corners of his mouth rose when Damianos grinned encouragingly at him. The soldier bent down and picked up the wooden sword of Damianos to give it to him, the boy grabbed the sword, putting his warm big hand around his own. Nikandros looked at him and Damianos returned the gaze firmly. He couldn’t interpret to what extent the atmosphere around them had changed but something was different, something was between him and Damianos. Something exciting and intense. Nikandros let go of the sword and removed his hand from Damianos’ grip, who didn’t avert the gaze but pulled the sword back to himself.

“Another round?”

“Sound good for me.”

After the last round the two had exhaustedly settled down on the meadow next to the training ground. Damianos lay next to Nikandros in the grass and looked up to the sky. Nikandros lay beside him and could hardly take his eyes off the boy’s relaxed body, while his mind went through the potential conversations with King Theomedes.

But Damianos knew how to distract him quite fast, because at some point he had started to talk. He talked about his family, his half-brother and that he had trained with him too, now he had a scar on his stomach from this when Kastor suggested to train with real swords and Damianos underestimated himself. The boy had sat up and loosened his needle on his shoulder to let the chiton fall from his upper body. Damianos showed the scar to Nikandros. The scar was not very severe in itself, it was well healed. Others might find it unattractive, but Nikandros found that it gave Damianos something he couldn’t explain exactly.

“Be glad that this only happened during a training, on the battlefield your opponent would have taken advantage of the situation and slit you open from below”, explained Nikandros with a deep frown as he looked back at the crown prince’s face.

“I’ve got you as a trainer now, something like that can’t happen to me later on the battlefield, especially since it’s been two years now, I’ve become better with the sword, even Kastor says that”, Damianos explained to him reassuringly and with a broad proud grin on his lips.

Nikandros smiled amusedly and shook his head slightly before he instructed: “You should still take care of yourself with that.”

Damianos pulled his chiton back to his place and closed the needle on his shoulder before looking at him and nodding: “Of course.”

Shortly before the sun could completely disappear behind the horizon, Damianos had risen and reached out his hand to Nikandros to help him up.

“Thank you. But I’m not that old yet that I need help”, Nikandros rebuked amusedly and let Damianos pull him on his feet, who just laughed heartily at him.

Together they went back to the palace. Damianos because he had to go home and Nikandros because he still had a conversation open with King Theomedes.

“Ah Damianos, you are back on time today”, King Theomedes greeted his son laughing, who only turned slightly red and nodded as an answer. Nikandros had to smile.

“Nikandros, so the news has reached you after all”, the King said to him and Nikandros bowed respectfully and said: “Yes exalted. Your Son told me you wanted to talk with me.”

Theomedes smiled and then looked back at his son: “Go to your room.”

“Yes, father. Good Night Nikandros, Good Night father”, said Damianos with a nod and then disappeared into the wide halls.

“What is the matter you want do discuss with me?” asked Nikandros and King Theomedes looked at him with a soft gaze, patting friendly his shoulder, thus pointing him to follow him into the garden of the palace.

“Nikandros, you know the traditions well, I suppose?”

“Yes I am familiar with them”, replied Nikandros, still didn’t know what his king was getting at.

“Good, good. I have something to request to you. He soon turns 16, which means that he must slowly decide who he wants to have on his side for the battles as a weapon companion.”

Nikandros frowned and looked questioningly at King Theomedes. “I’m afraid I don’t quite understand what this has to do with me?”

“I want you to be his weapon companion. Maybe not only as a companion but also as a mentor. You are more experienced and mature, I trust you with all my heart as a man and solider, I would give my Son knowingly into your hands.”

Nikandros’ eyes widened in amazement and his heart began to beat a marathon in his chest. He honestly didn’t know what to say to that.

It would of course be a great honour for him to take the crown prince to his side and being his companion.

But would Damianos want this too?

“Okay, good. But I would only accept to this if Damianos agrees as well. I don’t want to decide anything over his head and against his will”, Nikandros explained and King Theomedes gave him a warm smile: “And that’s exactly the reason why I chose you. I’ll talk to him about that and then how he goes on I’ll leave it to him. I just wanted to let you know about my thoughts about it. I also think I’d sleep calmer if I knew he is with you and learning from you than from any other man.”

Nikandros had to laugh quietly: “I can understand that.”

Theomedes smiled and he could see that in his gaze flickered something else, before he spoke: “You know, I will also be fine if you see my son not only as a companion. If you want to be close with him, you should know that I’ll accept that.”

Nikandros eyes widened and he could feel the heat crawling up into his neck and cheeks. Did Theomedes really say that? Was he really allowing him…? No.

He swallowed and nodded to him. “Yes exalted. Thank you.”

After the conversation with King Theomedes and the unexpected turn it took in the end, Nikandros had gone back to his home. Arriving at his little house on the edge of Ios, Nikandros grazed his sandals off his feet and stepped out into the garden. He sat down on the ground and took the jug of wine and a bowl with him down, then he poured himself something and took a big sip of this. His thoughts drifted back to Damianos and the conversation with King Theomedes.

The young crown prince with the honest cheeky nature should come under his wing, if Damianos wanted it so as well. And he really hoped that Damianos would want this too.

Somehow he was happy, especially since the king had personally approached and chosen him for this.

Nikandros smiled when a picture of the boy came up in front of his eyes. He was only a few inches smaller than he was, his back was broad and his hips were narrow, a thoroughly athletic body. Everything about Damianos seemed well proportioned and fitted into the perfect overall picture of him.

He was to be equated optically with Adonis but his mind promised to be as sharp as that of Athena. Nikandros corners of his mouth twitched upwards, forming an almost dreamy smile as he brought the bowl of wine back to his mouth and took a sip of the fruity sweet liquid. He continued to think of him, his warm brown eyes that reminded of liquid copper and looked at the world so open and honestly. He knew he would be some day a good king, maybe even better than his father.

He remembered the first time he saw him, the first time during training, how he carefully chose his weapon and grabbed a long spear, he had weighed it in his hand and started practicing. He could clearly see him in front of his eyes, how his back was winding in motion and his muscles were working under the tanned oily skin. And even if his body was slowly becoming the body of a grown man, he has still very fine facial features on his face, which would become harder with the age, and his wild dark brown hair framed his pretty boyisch face perfectly.

He was a truly aesthetic sight, but not only that, he also has something in his personality that managed to capture Nikandros’ interest and never let go and that was what fascinated Nikandros in the end and why he agreed to King Theomedes’ request.

He folded his arms behind his head and looked up into the sky, a smile on his lips as he felt a slight pressure in his lower region demanding attention. Nikandros looked down at himself and bit his lower lip. Actually, the thought of the crown prince shouldn’t trigger such a reaction from his body. He knew that there was nothing wrong about it but somehow… Nikandros couldn’t help himself, he knew he could have such reactions to him. He knew he could think and fantasize about him this way. By the gods, King Theomedes himself had imposed on him the role as mentor and also allowed him to get close with his son likeit was common in the pederasty. But nevertheless… He didn’t know what Damianos thought about it and he would like to wait and see.

Nikandros sighed heavily and lifted himself up, knocked off his chiton and went back into his house to wash and lie down in his bed.

He ignored the pressure; he could still devote himself to it later when he might have had other thoughts.

But he knew exactly, that these wouldn’t happen…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the Kudos so far :o <3 !!  
See ya next chapter again. x3


	3. tempus neminem manet

„Father.“

„Damianos, I was just about to“, Theomedes began to speak when he was interrupted by him: “I wanted to talk to you about something.”

“Take a seat then boy and talk.” Theomedes patted the seat of the chair next to him and Damianos sat down. Theomedes gave him an examining look and waited until his son had found the right words, before he looked up at him again and said: “You talked to Nikandros yesterday, right? Was it really nothing bad? Did he get in trouble because of me?”

Theomedes face became soft and he looked at him a little surprised, then: “No, no worries. Why are you even worry about it that much?”

His son let his shoulders sink helplessly and he confessed: “I don’t know either.”

Theomedes knew the expression too well. He smiled encouragingly and said: “You know, that’s normal at your age. I was like that too; you’re a little confused how to develop…”

Damianos interrupted him abruptly: “Father! This isn’t the conversation I wanted with you.”

Theomedes laughed heartily and patted him on the shoulder: “I almost thought so, then why did you come to me?”

“I… You told me that when I am 16, you should choose a fellow weapon companion to fight alongside, right?”

“Right. Do you have anyone in mind yet?”

“Maybe?”

“Who?”

“Nikandros.”

“Theomedes’ smile broadened and he secretly wondered how one could be so lucky that his “plans” would work out all by themselves.

“Good to hear that. Nikandros is a good choice for a position like this, he is very loyal and as far as I can see you two have a good harmony as a base for this.”

Damianos looked at his father a little confused about it, but Theomedes waved it away and then said: “You should tell him that. I bet he will be glad to hear about it.”

Damianos nodded: “I will, I just wanted to check if you had any objections about it.”

“I don’t”, Theomedes smiled lovingly: “And now go, I’m sure he’s waiting for you at the training ground?”

He could see his son’s cheeks turning red. He got up and then said quick: “You’re right. See you later.”

*

The days passed and slowly moved into the country as weeks. Damianos had still not been able to take the right moment to talk about his important question with Nikandros, let alone that he find the right words for it and this increasingly frustrated the young crown prince and he was sure that Nikandros already knew that something was on his mind and somehow Damianos couldn’t really make out whether this developed between them at all as friendship or only as training partner with many profound conversations, which better remained privately but somehow at a distance.

Damianos found it complicated where he was an open book for Nikandros, so he was rather a book in which he could look but couldn’t read the sentences correctly due to lack of knowledge and experience and yet there were sometimes moments where it was easy for Damianos to read in Nikandros because his thoughts and feelings were not far away from his own but nevertheless, sometimes it was as if Damianos would interpret too much into him and he would therefore interpret something wrong but he simply didn’t want that either.

Clear was; it was desperate and would not encourage his courage to ask him.

Today was one of those days when Nikandros and Damianos decided to change their routine a bit, instead of training as they always did, they walked through the adjacent woods and found a small lake at a waterfall and stopped there.

“Want to go for a swim?” Nikandros looked challenging at Damianos, who grinned at him crookedly: “You can bet on that.”

Damianos had opened his belt and his needle, the white fabric of his chiton fell to the ground and he started to open his loincloth and to graze his sandals from his feats. He could feel Nikandros’ gaze resting on him, following every movement of his muscles and slowly following him and began to undressing himself as well.

Damianos looked up at him and walked past him, his body upright and proud. He had never a big problem with nudity. He stood at the edge of the lake and then jumped into the cool water with a smooth, elegant movement; he reappeared in the middle and shook his head to get the wet hair out of his eyes before looking at Nikandros and laughing: “What is it? Are you coming too?”

Nikandros gave him a smile and Damianos watched as he quickly moved towards the lake and jumped into the water to him as he reappeared, Damianos noticed that Nikandros’ hair had come loose from his leather strap and were now hanging wet in their full splendor down his head. Damianos had to smile at the sight, somehow he reminded him of a wolf that had been pored over with water. But Damianos also felt the strong urge to reach out his arm to Nikandros and stroke his hair from his face.

He was weak and decided not to think about it any further and simply act.

He gave in to his urge quite directly and stretched out his arm, Nikandros didn’t shy away. Damianos let his fingers run over his hairline and stroked the black wet hair to the side. He smiled warmly at Nikandros, who followed his hand movement with an interested look and then looked him in the eye, he returned the smile.

Somehow this moment was comically intense, Damianos found, the atmosphere between them changed more often from loose and easy to heavy and intense in the last few days. Damianos could never interpret it correctly, but maybe he was just too young to understand such things.

He just didn’t know it but one thing was for sure – He would have to ask Nikandros today, something in him said this was the right time now.

Damianos hardly lowered his gaze noticeably and pushed his lower lip forward. Thought about how and where to start. He was afraid when he started he would also talking about other things that goes through his head.

And then there was Nikandros. The man who managed to read Damianos when he only pulled a muscle in his face, because: “Okay boy, what are you worrying about? You do that with your lip again and you only do that when something’s bothering you.” His tone was soft but dominant and Damianos knew it wouldn’t do any good to talk his way out of it. He blinked at him and sighed: “Let’s swim to the side for this, it’s more pleasant to talk and we can lean us on.”

Nikandros nodded approvingly and together they swam to the edge of the lake, which quickly turned from a loosening joke by Damianos into a competitive swim and he had clearly underestimated Nikandros stamina. At the same time, however, he wondered whether he would also have such stamina during sex. Damianos turned slightly red at the thought and he felt something moving in him. These confusing thoughts about Nikandros were by far the words but also the most beautiful things.

“So we’re on the side and can lean back, so, out with the language, what’s on your mind?” Nikandros looked at him attentively, studied Damianos’ facial expression carefully and he felt weak under the exploratory gaze of the other man.

“I wanted to ask you something. I’m sure you’re very familiar with traditions”, Damianos began, trying to give his voice a little more strength so as not to look like the little boy he was sometimes. Nikandros nodded slowly and something lay in those dark eyes, something knowing, as Damianos remarked before he continued: “When I am 16, I have to choose a weapon companion and I think I already made a decision, so I wanted to ask you if you want to become my companion?”

Nikandros’ eyes grew big, but his gaze was soft and Damianos held his gaze, only nervously biting his lower lip. Also something he always did when he got nervous, as Nikandros must have already noticed.

“King Theomedes has already spoken to me about it and”, Nikandros took a break which only mad Damianos more nervous. Was it wrong to hope he’d say yes? But his father told him, that Nikandros would be glad to hear about it, so he knew it all the time that he was going to choose him?

“I agree. I want to be by your side and give you my loyalty.”

Damianos’ features lit up automatically and his heart beat excitedly, he would love to hug and kiss him so much. Where the thought came from, Damianos didn’t care for it in the moment.

“Really? I am so happy to hear that.”

Nikandros laughed heartily and his face shone: “I am glad that you want it too. As I said before, your father had spoken to me about it and I wanted to wait until you came to me on your own, if that is how you want it and I’m glad you want it.”

Damianos grinned broadly and laughed quietly, his heart was filled with joy and happiness. For the first time in his life, he felt as if he had made a decision safely and correctly.

Nikandros and Damianos had moved out of the water after some time of relaxation and let themselves be dried now on the meadow by the sun, which meanwhile stood high in sky. Damianos’ hands rested relaxed on his chest, he could feel his heart beating calmly and evenly underneath and it was as if a huge load had been taken from his shoulders. Nikandros would officially become his weapon companion. He still couldn’t believe it.

At some point he looked over to Nikandros, who had crossed his arms behind his head. His eyes glided attentively over his body, he absorbed every single muscle over his eyes and inwardly he desired the well-built body of Nikandros. He was truly the symbol of a man. Muscular chest, fine dark hairs on it and from the belly button down to his cock. Damianos had to swallow when he looked at Nikandros’ cock; it was so big and well formed. Damianos forced himself to take his eyes away from this part of his body and instead let his gaze wander over the other parts of his naked body. Somehow the feeling in him was slowly building up to touch him, he would so much love it to stroke his body with his hand, trace the lines of his hard muscles and tracing his fingers over his cock just to feel it and… Damianos’ swallowed heavily and then forced his gaze completely away before he could spin his thoughts further and cause some of his body’s own reactions.

“Done looking?” Nikandros voice was teasing and he could hear his amused grin, which had probably formed on the man’s lips. Caught over it, Damianos felt his cheeks blush.

“If I’m honest, no”, Damianos replied, turning his head back in the direction of Nikandros, who had turned to his side and supported his chin on the palm of his hand while giving him an amused grin.

Damianos tried to focus on Nikandros face, as the man said: “You don’t have to be ashamed of it, when you see something you like it’s no shame to look at it.”

His eyes widened in surprise at the sentence and Nikandros continued: “Besides, I must honestly admit you are also very beautiful to look at.”

Damianos couldn’t help it, a smile formed on his lips and he lifted himself slightly high to sit cross-legged in front of Nikandros: “Really?”

“Yes. You have well-built body and a really attractive face.”

Damianos’ heart beat faster with every word Nikandros said to him. From his mouth to hear such compliments somehow sounded really good and that made Damianos’ smile wider. He nodded gratefully as an answer, didn’t really dare to say anything because he didn’t trust his voice, he knew that it would sound wobbly and aroused if he said something right now and he was glad that Nikandros accepted it that way.

The two young men had finally slowly made their way back, they had dressed again and walked silently next to each other and enjoyed in silence the last minutes they would spend together before their paths separated. Damianos was not very happy about the thought that he had to walk back to the palace alone and wait until the next day to see each other again, but he said nothing about that.

Halfway along it was Nikandros who briefly addressed the subject, almost as if he could read Damianos’ mind.

“Maybe tomorrow we can arrange it so you can stay with me overnight? So if that’s what you want too of course?”

Damianos’ stomach was tingling warm when he heard the suggestion and he nodded: “I would be very happy, yes.”

Nikandros smiled happily and Damianos’ smile broadened and the desire to get physically closer to him grew. He was just about to go crazy, he knew he could be close to him, but something in him was still a bit hesitant and didn’t want to become friends with the thought. Damianos just didn’t know exactly what it was. Neither was he ashamed to be interested in a man, nor did he know that there would be social problem with it, so where did this inner conflict come from in him?

Damianos could not really lead his thought any further, because Nikandros had stopped and confused Damianos had done the same and turned to him. Asking, he raised a dark eyebrow and tilted his head. Nikandros took a step towards him and stood now directly in front of him at eye level. Damianos caught his gaze and tried to get clever out of his facial expressions. He could be wrong but somehow Nikandros seemed to be… insecure?

“What’s on your mind?” Damianos smiled slightly and was a little happy to be able to turn the situation around. Nikandros seemed to notice this, because he tried to suppress his grin which worked out rather semi-well: “You’re good.”

“Thanks. I’m learning from the best”, Damianos nodded approvingly and waited to see what Nikandros would do next. Various situations took place in his head, including Nikandros grabbing his wrists and pushing him against the next tree trunk. Their lips met demandingly and they exchanged a kiss of fiery passion as Nikadnros cleared a path between Damianos’ legs with his knee.

But instead Nikandros had only put one hand on Damianos’ shoulder and pressed it gently, and then he let his hand sink again, their hands touching lightly and a pleasant tingling sensation chased through Damianos’ body. He looked into Nikandros’ eyes and tried to read in them what Nikandros was trying to achieve with his action, but there was… Nothing. Nothing obvious he could read out.

“What do you want to do tomorrow? Training or something like that today?” Nikandros asked him and Damianos blinked confused, before he said: “Uhm. Both? We could train first and then see what else we could do, maybe swim again? I thought it was really nice today.”

Nikandros smiled warmly at him: “Sounds good to me.”

Damianos smiled and was about to continue as Nikandros held him back by his wrist and pulled him back. They stood close to each other and Damianos’ searched his mimic for smoething that would reveal what was going on inside the man.

He didn’t have to search long because Nikandros had leaned forward and gave him a cautious kiss on the cheek and whispered: “You really don’t know what you’re doing to me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and leaving kudos. <3   
We will see us next week with a new update. x3 I am off for holidays now!


	4. animo coniuncti

From hour to hour he was now waiting for Damianos, Nikandros became uncertain whether he had acted a little too extreme or rash the day before, even if not much had happend between them. Somehow, however, a slight discomfort arose in him and Nikandros absolutely didn’t like it. Usually he had been a man of deeds who hadn’t thought long about them, let alone about the consequences of them, but something had caused Daminaos in him to think about it. And that didn’t fit into his world.

Nikandros sighed in frustration and let his head sink back the tree trunk behind him, so he could look up into the crown of the leaves of the tree through which the golden sun shone.

Perhaps the calm nature would make the waiting time a little more pleasant for him and distracting him from his thoughts.

But apparently this was no longer necessary anyway, for he noticed as a shadow formed in front of him and a face shoved into his field of vision. Damianos stood leaning over him, grinning cheekily at him, forming a dimple in his cheek. Nikanrdos had to smile involuntarily at the sight.  
“What are you thinking about?” Damianos asked curiously and sat down next to him, his shoulder touching his, leaving a pleasant tingling sensation his tanned skin.

“About nothing”, Nikandros replied with a smile and Damianos just nodded.

“Nik?” Damianos said questioningly as they had been silent for a short time and Nikandros noticed that he didn’t get used to his nickname, especially not when the prince calls him like this.

“Hm?” He replied humming and looked over at Damianos.

“I guess you’ll have to make room in your house today”, said Damianos smiling and Nikandros features lit up automatically: “So you’re staying?”

“Yes.”

“Glad to hear that, really.”

“Where are we going? I thought we would train first?” Nikandros wanted to know when Damianos had run forward and didn’t go in the direction of the training ground. Damianos had turned to him and just grinned mischievously, which makes Nikandros somehow suspected nothing good, so he simply followed the young prince further and thought about how he can dissuade Damianos from acting stubbornly according to his head every time and not to let other people in on his plans, that will cost him his head at some point on the battlefield.

“Trust me Nik, we’re going training, but somewhere else.” Damianos finally said over his shoulder before he looked forward again and went ahead.

Nikandros twisted his eyes and wondered where the young prince intended to train, if no on the nearby training ground?

Damianos finally stopped after some time of running; they were at the same place as yesterday near the small lake with the waterfall. Nikandros raised a questioning eyebrow and looked over to Damianos, who looked at him smiling. This cursed smile would eventually mean Nikandros’ death at some point because it makes him soft and lightheaded.

“You could show me a few more techniques in wrestling”, Damianos finally said when he came up to Nikandros and stopped right in front of him and looked up to him through his lashes from big brown eyes.  
“And we couldn’t have done that on the training ground?” Nikandros asked with a crooked grin on his lips. Somewhere he was happy that Damianos wanted to spend the time with him all alone but he was sure that there would be one or the other speculation among the soldiers and boys on the training ground.

“Here we have the lake to cool off afterwards”, whispered Damianos and Nikandros could feel his breath on his beard, which cause a pleasantly warm tingling sensation on it.  
“You’re right about that”, Nikandros said in a firm voice.

“Then we agree on that point”, Damianos replied and his lips turned into a slight sweet smile.

That promised to be very promising with the young prince.

Nikandros hadn’t quite expected Damianos to be so good at wrestling but he had to admit, the boy was almost better than he was.

Damianos had pinned him to the ground, one leg over his hip and hooked under his thigh, while his hands pressed his wrists down next to his head and Damianos’ knee was pressing against his stomach so Nikandros could barely move anymore.

“You’re good”, he said out of breath, looking up at Damianos. This sight was something he could get used to. Damianos cheeks were reddend from exertion and his dark hair hung sweaty in his forehead.

“So are you”, the prince replied and smiled crookedly.

That was the moment when Nikandros would have an easy game, because Daminaos was still a little too arrogant and quickly faded, because he weighed himself too fast in safety. So it was simple for Nikandros to change their position. He managed to free himself with his leg so that he could knock over Damianos with his knee and roll on top of him. Now he was sitting on the prince’s hips and had his forearms pinned next to his head.

“I won”, explained Nikadnros with a grin and Damianos groaned annoyed and asked: “Where was my fault?”

“You weighed yourself too quickly in safety that was your mistake. The next time you pinned your opponent to the ground, don’t let go and relax, press against the body with your own weight and make sure the person doesn’t have a chance to fight free.”

Damianos closed his eyes and breathed deeply, and then he nodded: “Understood. I’ll watch out for it next time.

“Good, but for today, I’d say we deserve to cool off”, said Nikandros laughing and standing up from Damianos, he gave him comradely a hand to help him up and Damianos took it and let him pull him up. Maybe with a little too much momentum, because Damianos stumbled against him and looked him a little surprised in the eyes.

They were still inches separating them and Niakndros would love to take the opportunity so much.

He wondered what his lips would feel like on his own? What it would feel like if his lips moved against his?

Nikandros had to swallow hard and tried to frighten away his thoughts again, but Damianos didn’t seem unaware of this, questioningly he tilted his head and didn’t make any effort to back away, instead Nikandros noticed Damianos carefully biting his lower lip.

Self-control has never been so difficult, Nikandros thought.

Apparently, however, the gods seemed to be with him today, for a loud rumble had ripped the two of them from their thoughts and Damianos took a step back. Nikandros was like he could finally breathe again, without being afraid to burst his emotions in the next moment.

“Looks like it’s gonna rain”, Damianos said, looking into the skies. Nikandros followed his gaze and indeed, the sky had become darker and some dark clouds had advanced and were ready to let rain pelt down on the earth.

“We should go back”, Nikandros suggested and let his gaze glide back to Damianos, who only agreed with him: “Sounds good.”

Nikandros didn’t know exactly how this happened but at some point on the way it had started to rain so heavily that it was impossible for them to go back to his house as the forest roads would get soaked and become even more dangerous.

“Take my hand Damianos, there is a cave nearby, there we can wait for the rain to end”, said Nikandros and stretched out his hand to the prince, who grasped it immediately and held it tightly. Nikandros stroked his knuckles with his thumb; it was like he could grasp Damianos’ discomfort. His gaze became soft on the realization on it, the young prince was just a normal boy with fears and this seemed to be one of Damianos’ fears.

“Don’t worry, we are soon there”, Nikandros said reassuringly and led Damianos further away from the path in the direction of the cave.

*

Damianos has never in his life been so grateful to be accommodated in a cave as he was now. He didn’t like thunderstorms, especially when there was loud thunder; it made him feel uncomfortable somehow.

“You should also take off your chiton and lay it down to dry”, Nikandros suggested to him when he was already about to let his chiton slide from his body. Damianos nodded and opened the needle on his shoulder and let the cloth slide to the ground before picking it up and wringing it out, he hang it up on a small ledge to let it dry there.

“You don’t like thunderstorms, do you?” Nikandros knew it, it wasn’t a real question, at least it didn’t sound like one to Damianos.

“Hm, not really yes”, Damianos replied undecidedly and let his shoulder sink down helplessly, he could see Nikandros’ gaze softening and a warm gentle smile creeping onto his face: “That’s perfectly okay, everybody’s afraid of something.”  
Damianos nodded. It was good to hear but he would still like to talk about something other than the irrational fear of thunderstorms.

“When the weather has calmed down a bit, we can go on to my place, but until then, we are probably stuck here”, said Nikandros with a look outside and Damianos was grateful for a change of topic. He walked up to Nikandros and stopped beside him, outside the rain had become more and more violent and he had the feeling that Poseidon was pouring out the oceans over them.

“Could be worse”, Damianos finally said, and Nikandros looked at him, raising an eyebrow questioningly, then he said: “I could be stuck in the cave with someone I couldn’t like.”

Nikandros laughed one of his hearty, carefree laughs, which put pleasant warmth around Damianos’ heart and made him grin involuntarily.

“You’re right boy; you can stick here with someone far more unpleasant. I’m glad to hear that you can at least stick with me”, Nikandros said laughing and winked at Damianos, which let him blush and he looked away.

He couldn’t explain to himself what was going on with him, otherwise he hadn’t fallen on his mouth but somehow, he didn’t even know what to say as a good counter and that frustrated Damianos somehow but Nikandros didn’t seem to have expected an answer either, because he walked past him and deeper into the cave. Damianos turned around and waited when he saw that Nikandros lifted something up and said: “There’s a bedroll here, at least we’d be a little more comfortable.”

Damianos smiled and went over to Nikandros, who was about to spread out the bedroll and lay it on the floor.

“After you my prince”, the elder said with a charming grin on his lips and pointed with his hand Damianos to sit down.

Damianos sat down gratefully and remained sitting cross-legged on the side of the bedroll so that Nikandros had enough room to make himself comfortable as well. The older man sat down beside him and leaned his back against the cave wall behind them, stretching out his legs and raising his arms behind his head. Sighing Nikandros closed his eyes and Damianos looked at him from top to bottom. In the weak light that came in from outside, Nikandros looked just as beautiful as he did in full daylight. It was really fascinating in Damianos’ eyes how beautiful this man was.

He had already seen many men in his life, especially soldiers, and never had he felt any of them to be extraordinarily aesthetic or even beautiful, but Nikandros was definitely an exception and even if Damianos preferred women over men he would still like to have Nikandros at his side.

_As a lover or as a weapon-brother?_ Damianos asked himself and in the same breath he thought his answer as _both._

“I can feel your gaze on me”, said Nikandros and opened an eye to look at Damianos grinning, who looked away immediately caught and said: “Sorry, if it’s unpleasant, I’ll try to stop with that.”

“Just take it easy boy, everything’s fine with that”, the older man replied reassuringly and then sat up a little too lean forward to Damianos.

“If it were up to me, I could watch you all day but that would be really rude.”

“Why?” Damianos wanted to know and looked into the dark warm eyes of Nikandros.

“You’re the king’s son and I’m a soldier, as you know”, Nikandros said firmly.

“But you’re also my weapon-brother”, Damianos explained to him and a happy smile formed on Nikandros lips and something glittered in his dark eyes that made Damianos tingle his body.

“I still have to get used to it, I think”, said Nikandros gently and Damianos nodded understandingly and lowered his gaze.

He couldn’t imagine what it would mean for a soldier to get such a position. Was it just a position at all? Somehow it felt to Damianos like it was something more than that.

When he looked up again, he saw that Nikandros leaned a little more in to him and their foreheads touched slightly. For Damianos this little touch felt so intimate and he couldn’t really explain where it came from.

Meanwhile he was sure that the encounter with Nikandros was somehow fate. The day he had decided to speak to him had been for something bigger and he was sure of that. Moreover, the time with Nikandros did not feel as if they had known each other for such a short time, but for so much longer. It was if they had known each other for ages and had grown up together, which was not possible due to the age difference.

Damianos could feel his heart beating excitedly in his chest and he wondered if Nikandros could hear it in the silence of the cave.

“Nik, I’d like to try something”, Damianos said before realizing what he had just said. Nikandros looked at him surprised, and then he nodded approvingly. Damianos breathed deeply and took all hi courage together, and then he leaned forward and closed the last little gap between Nikandros’ lips and his own. He could feel Nikandros drawing the air in sharply, he had probably not expected anything like it but before Damianos could withdraw and stammer an apology; Nikandros had put his hand in Damianos’ neck and pulled him closer to himself. Damianos let it happen and moved his lips longingly against those of Nikandros. How long had he been awake dreaming of kissing this man?

Damianos could feel the beard of Nikandros on his chin and it tickled him slightly but it was a comforting tickle, one which he welcomed very much. Damianos laid his hands on Nikandros’ shoulders and pressed him against the wall of the cave while straddling his lap. He wanted to be close. He needed that closeness. The kiss became more and more intense and he felt NIkandros stroking with his tongue over Damianos’ lower lip and asking for admission. Damianos sighed contentedly and opened his lips for him. He could hardly put into words how good this kiss felt, how good it felt to feel Nikandros so close and in Damianos the desire grew to feel more of it. He wanted to feel more of him and he doesn’t want to miss this feeling anymore. Never again.

It was Nikandros who broke the kiss and leaned his forehead against Damianos. He noticed that Nikandros’ breath was as heavy and fast as his own. He smiled and Nikandros mumbled against his lips: “You have no idea how much I wanted this.”

“I can imagine it”, Damianos said with a slight grin: “Because I wanted it very much, too.”

And to emphasize his words, Damianos leaned in and kissed Nikandros again, this time more passionately and fierily than before. Nikandros kissed back with the same lust and eagerness as Damianos had returned it earlier. He could feel his heated skin against his own and it send a shiver down his spine.

The storm outside was as good as forgotten, because the only thing that mattered for Damianos was their two fast beating hearts and the strong urge from them both of wanting the same thing.


	5. Move me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updating here as well 8D  
It's just smut. :) Next chapter will include more plot and we also soon reach the point where the fight in Marlas starts. ;)
> 
> *
> 
> Listen to "Movement" from Hozier while reading this.

A year had passed since the first kiss and the first night between Nikandros and Damianos.

Damianos has now turned 17 and with each passing day, Nikandros has seen the young crown prince grow into maturity and become an outstanding warrior and also a more than worthy heir of the throne.

And somehow this development filled Nikandros with pride. He was also very proud to have played a large part in making Damianos develop the way he did and Theomedes also seemed to feel the same way, at least he had often told Nikandros this when he was alone with the king for a moment. Nikandros thought it was nice to see how the king himself was filled with pride about Damianos growing up into a man, king and warrior.

Since the one year was passing by, a lot had also happened in Nikandros’ and Damianos’ relationship, besides the actual duties they both had and their strong bonding as weapon-brothers, they also were trying to figure out what their relationship is exaclty. They both agreed that they were more than just good friends, because of their strong physical desire for the other person. Others would clearly describe their relationship as the typical pederasty relationship - and it kind of was like this, Nikandros had to admit and also Damianos saw it more in this way.

But what overweights more was their friendship, they bonded so deep over the year. Nikandros couldn't imagine a life without Damianos anymore.

Even though they hang around together a lot, it was also difficult for both of them to spend keep their hands off each other, they truely enjoyed it to satisfy each other sexual desires.  
And today at least was again one of those days where they spend a lot of time alone together and getting themselve distracted.

Good for them, that Theomedes, his advisers and Kastor had gone to Vere to make some negotiations with the king there and they wouldn’t come back for the next three weeks, Nikandros was informed by that from Damianos, who had listened or had not listened to his father.  
Nikandros will never know.

*

Damianos felt the cool wall of his room in his back as Nikandros pressed him against it and captured him in a fiery passionate kiss of long longed desire. Damianos put his arms around the strong neck of the elder man and pulled him closer against his heated body. He felt the warm calloused hands of Nikandros leaving their place at his sides and wander under his chiton, sending a wave of arousal down to his loins and making Damianos tremble pleasantly. He sighed aroused into the kiss, which gave Nikandros the opportunity to push his tongue between his slightly open lips, which Damianos acknowledged with a slight grin. With nimble fingers Damianos reached into Nikandros long black hair, pulled gently on the braid and impatiently rubbed his hip against his. He’d go insane if Nikandros didn’t do something directly.

“You’re so impatient”, Nikandros teased him and Damianos replied in a hoarse voice: “Touch me, please.”

It didn’t need more like this little plea from him, Damianos already felt a hand on his hip, Nikandros stroked with a gentle pressure his hip bone before he let his hand sink deeper and massaged the base of his cock. Damianos moaned at the touch and put his head back.

“By the Gods”, he murmured breathlessly, encouraging Nikandros to continue with this. Damianos, on the other hand, finally let his free hand slide between their heated bodies and stroked over the covered, hard cock of Nikandros, who made a satisfied sound that sent a shiver down Damianos’ spine. He liked it when he could elicit such reactions from Nikandros.

It didn’t take long before Damianos was the first to lose his clothes and Nikandros stepped back to admire Damianos’ body. He enjoyed the approving glance of Nikandros. He enjoyed how his dark eyes moved over his exposed and aroused body, which was flushed and sensitive, waiting to be taken by the elder man.

Damianos smirked and then said that Nikandros to undress as well. Nikandros’ gaze glided back to his eyes and he nodded, brought his hand to the needle on his shoulder and opened it, the fabric of the chiton fell down his upper body and he unbuckled the belt, then let the heavy leather slide to the ground together with the fabric. Naked and aroused, he stood in front of Damianos, who stared at him with a hungry look.

Each time felt like a first time when they saw each other like this. They often saw the naked body of the other person – Mostly when they wrestled together or take a swim but this state their bodies were right now, was only for each of them in such private, heated and intimate moments – And Damianos whished that those moments would never end.

Damianos looked back into the face of Nikandros who looked at him with a warm smile and he couldn’t help but return the smile. Nikandros then took a step towards Damianos, he took his hand in his own and pressed it gently. Damianos was still very happy that Nikandros still treated him so caringly and carefully. The elder finally led Damianos’ hand up the wall and pinned it to the wall with his grip, while he kissed Damianos’ neck. The young crown prince laid his head slightly to one side to give Nikandros more space and he fervently wished that he would leave dark marks on him, but unfortunately this would not be possible, because if there was one rule among male lovers in pederasty, it was that you shouldn’t mark your beloved one and also don’t take him, because this would only push the beloved into a female role, which is to avoid at all costs – Especially if the beloved one was the son of the king.

However, it didn’t change the fact that Damianos enjoyed this act to the full every time, because even though he didn’t get everything from Nikandros that Damianos would be curious about, he still managed to feel good and that was more than satisfying for both of them as Damianos found.

The crown prince’s room was filled with soft moans, heavy breathing, sweet whispered sentences and skin moving against skin. Damianos’ fingers had once again found their way into Nikandros’ long black hair, playing with some loose strands. He kissed him passionately, his full lips moving demandingly against those of Nikandros. The kiss was fiery and wet; eventually change into a passionate tongue kiss, fighting for dominance. Damianos felt Nikandros’ hand move between their bodies and took their hard cocks in his hand and pressed them against each other, which made Damianos moan. His skin was so sensitive, and for a brief moment he instinctively thought he would come immediately just from the touch.

He felt Nikandros’ wet tip rubbing against his belly and he was sure it would leave a white mark on his tanned skin.

Damianos let out a groan deep from his throat and he put his head back, revealing to Nikandros his shiny heated skin of his throat. Nikandros leaned down to him and placed smaller tender kisses on his neck. His breathing became heavier, his limb felt hot and sensitive. He closed his eyes at the caressing touch on his neck, especially when Nikandros hit a certain point above the carotid artery, his little weak spot. He really wished that Nikandros would suck the thin skin, bite him and lick with his tongue over the spot, but he knew that Nikandros would never mark him the way he would mark a slave – But maybe he could make the request at some point, some day.

He was torn out of his thoughts any further when he felt Nikandros detach himself from him and looked at him. His hair hung wildly in his face, his lips were slightly open and swollen from the violent kisses, while his cheeks had taken on a slightly reddish color and his eyes looked almost black with lust.

“Oil?” Nikandros asked briefly and Damianos nodded his head towards the bedside table, then Nikandros seemed to get an idea. He took Damianos’ wrist and pulled the crown prince behind him, then let go of him as he turned to the bedside table and opened the drawer. Damianos decided to sit on the bed in the meantime, when Nikandros fetched the vial with oil. He opened the cap and let a little bit of it drips on his hand, then he rubbed the oil on his cock and brought it to its full hardness. He handed the vial to Damianos who took it and let drip a little bit of it on his hand as well, he rubbed the oil between his thighs and spread them for Nikandros who crawled to him on the mattress.

Damianos reached for Nikandros’ arm and pulled him back with him. Nikandros placed himself between his spread legs and experimentally rubbed his cock against his entrance, eliciting a loud moan from Damiano. It was an overwhelming feeling for the young crown prince and his legs trembled aroused at the new touch against his entrance, so far they had mostly done it only in standing positions leaning against the wall and rather seldom on a bed, where the access to Damianos body was so much better. He closed his eyes, while Nikandros continued and pushed against his hole, which throbbed at that feeling and Damianos wished to get filled with Nikandros’ cock.

Instead, Nikandros wrapped his hand around his cock and stroking it up and down in rhythm to his thrusts. He spread with his thumb the pre-cum over the tip, down his shaft and adjusted the pressure on it.

Damianos thrust with his hips against his movement and soon they both fell in line together.

Damianos slowly felt his orgasm building up, he was so close to cum and Nikandros seemed to notice this as he picked up the pace of his strokes over Damianos cock and put some more pressure onto his entrance with his movements. Their moans mingled and Damianos thoughts were shut down for a moment. He just thought of nothing but Nikandros moving between his legs and his cock rubbing between his ass cheeks, thrusting against his hole and leaving a shivering pleasure down there. He threw his head back with a loud groan and after a few more thrusts from Nikandros his orgasm hit him. He came between their bodies and the white sticky liquid covered his belly, as well as a little of Nikandros’ who slowed down his movement a bit, his forehead leaned against the broad shoulder of Damianos, who was breathing heavily to get down from his high, the over stimulating movement against his hole made it hard for him to get soft, especially when he heard Nikandros groan and cumming between his legs. Nikandros still rolled his hips against Damianos to ride out his orgasma until he remained still and let his orgasm sink in for a few seconds. His breath was warm and fast against Damianos’ shoulder, he lifted his arm and put one hand on Nikandros’ shoulder, he pressed it gently and gave the man a gently, exhausted smile.

Damianos had to be honest with himself: That had just felt so much better than anything they had done before and he wouldn’t mind going a little further on this point. He wanted to feel Nikandros inside him as much as he wanted it that the man cum inside him with his name on his lips. He want to feel him deep, with every fiber of his own body.

Damianos became hot at the thought and he felt the blood shoot into the lower part of his body again, almost letting his cock hardens again.

“Bath?” asked Nikandros and thus tore him out of his train of thought, which Damianos was quite glad about that. He looked up at him with a satisfied grin on his lips and nodded. “Bath sounds like a good idea.”


	6. Love and War

Damianos was awakened by the rays of sun that slowly trickled through the fabric of the curtains and shone into his face. Slowly blinking, he opened his eyes and rubbed with the back of his hand tiredly over them, leaning on his elbow he propped himself up a little as he felt an arm tighten around his waist and pull him back slightly. He looked at the sleeping man beside him and smiled warmly. Nikandros looked so calm and peaceful, his long hair lay wildly on the pillow and Damianos let his hand slide tenderly through it, wrapped a black strand around his finger. Quietly he heard Nikandros give a satisfied sigh. So Damianos led his hand back and massaged his scalp, ran the long strands over and over again and then repeated this movement.

“Don’t ever stop that”, said Nikandros quietly and laid his head so that his forehead pressed against the warm skin of Damianos side. The younger one smiled and went on with his work. At some point he leaned down to him and gave him a tender kiss on his lips. Nikandros kissed him back with tired and lazy movements and before Damianos even could get away from him, he felt Nikandros laying his hand into his neck and kept him in his place. Damianos grinned warmly and happily into the kiss, closed his eyes again and enjoyed the quiet peaceful moment in the morning that they shared together.

A slave knocked on the door and stepped in, she lowered her head in respect. It was not as if it was unusual to find Nikandros and Damianos in bed together but it was not appropriate to see king’s son in his intimacies with others.

“What is it?” Damianos asked her and looked at the slave in the doorway.

“Breakfast is ready my prince”, said the slave and bowed before leaving the room with quick steps again.

Damianos looked at Nikandros with a grin. “Breakfast?”

“I could eat something”, replied the elder with a smile.

“Then come. I won’t carry it to the bed for you”, said Damianos and got up from the bed, stretched his back and shook out his long limbs.

“I’ll be right there”,Nikandros said with a tired sigh and slowly lifted himself up from the mattress, then he stood up too, while Damianos was already dressing. He threw the chiton from Nikandros to him, who caught the garment and dressed himself.

Together the two left the rooms to go to the banquet hall where the breakfast was waiting for them.

*

In the late afternoon, after a joint training in wrestling, Damianos had decided to go to the baths with Nikandros. They walked together through the halls to the bathrooms. In the hall of the bath were four female slaves putting cloths and soaps into the wooden places for it.

When they noticed Daminaos, they bowed before him and greeted him. Nikandros was usually avoided by them with their looks, after all this time they still didn’t really know how to deal with him. He was a highly respected soldier of the Kings Guard but now he was also Damianos’ weapon brother. But Nikandros cared very little to what extent the slaves paid attention to him or not, he was polite to them and treated them well, what he got back for it was relatively indifferent to him if he was honest. He looked at Damianos who went over to the slaves and talked to them, they nodded and bowed before they went out of the bath.

Nikandros looked at him questioningly, usually Damianos didn’t care if the slaves were here or not until today.

What has the young crown prince now in his mind? Was his first thought and somehow it made him smile.

Damianos seemed to notice this, because he looked at him and asked. “Why are you smiling like that Nik?”

“Oh nothing, I was just thinking about something”, he replied with a smile.

“I see”, Damianos said nodding and then walked towards the elder who looked at him waiting.

Damianos came to a halt in front of him and put his hand on his shoulder where the needle was that held his chiton together. He pulled on it slightly and removed it, dropping the heavy metal onto the light tilted floor. Nikandros looked first at the needle on the ground, then back to Damianos, who looked at him innocently from brown eyes. He watched him attentively as Damianos continued slowly, undoing the knot of his cord around his waist. Both cord and fabric fell to the ground. Damianos leaned forward into his space and whispered: “I just love taking off your clothes and watching you.” Then he gave him a quick kiss on his cheek. Nikandros smiled warmly, that was somehow really sweet of him.

“I could almost get used to that”, Nikandros said, placing his hand in Damianos’ waist and pulling him closer to himself to kiss him.

“I’m surprised you haven’t got used to it yet”, Damianos said amusedly against his lips, for which Nikandros pinched him slightly in the side. “Watch your mouth.”

Damianos laughed and kissed him again. “Of course.”

A short time later they had finally made it into the water. The water was pleasantly warm and Nikandros felt his muscles slowly relaxing from the training. He laid his arms behind him on the tile edge of the pool, pulled the leather band that held his hair together out of it and dropped it on the floor. Sighing he let his head roll back as he felt gentle waves crushing against his upper body. He opened his eyes and saw Damianos sitting next to him. His arms also resting on the edge and he moved his head, rolling it to release some of the tension on his neck.

“Come here boy”, Nikandros finally said and Damianos looked at him questioningly. “In front of me.” He hoisted himself up out of the water and sat down on the edge of the pool so that Damianos could sith down in his place.

Nikandros put his hands on the broad shoulders of him and began to massage him. Damianos let up after a short time and let his head hang a little, sighed contentedly. Nikandros kneaded with his thumb in circular movements over his tensions and slowly but surely released them.

“Feels good, huh?”

“Oh yeah.”

Nikandros grinned contentedly and then continued his activity, leanding down a little and placing smaller kisses on his neck, which caused Damianos to shiver slightly. His lips curled up into a smile and he kissed his neck once more before leaning back and finishing the massage.

“Don’t stop”, Damianos complained softly and turned his head back to look reproachfully at Nikandros from his brown eyes.

“Give me a little break, okay?” he then said, shaking his hands emphatically before supporting them beside him. Damianos moved a little between his legs and turned towards him so that they were now sitting face to face. Damianos put his arms down on his thighs and put his head on his left arm, grinning happily to himself.

“You know, I kind of enjoy spending time with you sitting quietly together and just enjoying each other’s company”, Damianos said softly and began to draw small patterns on the inside of Nikandros’ thigh, who sighed at the touch.

It was dangerous but it felt so good. He nodded in response: “I’m enjoying this very much too, little one.”

Damianos smiled gently and then gave him a kiss on the spot where he had just made circular movements with his finger.

“Damianos”, Nikandros said warningly, but the younger one seemed to have planned exactly that, as it now slowly dawned on him.

“Huh?” Damianos asked and looked up at him, his full lips pressed against the olive skin, a slight blush on his cheeks which was certainly not only due to the warmth of the water.

“You’re driving me crazy”, said Nikandros under his breath.

“That was the plan”, Damianos replied proudly, resting his hands on the edge of the pool and lifting himself up a little to give Nikandros an intimate deep kiss on the lips, which was promptly reciprocated.

The two young men quickly lost themselves in a passionate intimate kiss, which neither of them wanted to end so quickly. Nikandros put one hand on Damianos’ neck and stroked the line from his jaw with his thumb, while he opened his lips slightly and stroked Damianos lips with his tongue.

The young crown prince opened them willingly and Nikandros let his tongue slide into the other’s mouth.

Damianos sighed softly into the kiss, Nikandros felt him releasing one hand from the edge of the pool and placing it on his warm chest. His heart was beating fast in his ribcage at the tender touch, which the other felt as his lips twisted into a grin.

“I want to try something”, Damianos said as the separated, Nikandros looked at him and asked: “What do you want to try?”

Instead of a verbal answer, Damianos let himself slide a little back into the water, so that he was back at his practical height from before. He placed his warm hands on Nikandros’ thighs and pushed them slightly apart, then placed himself between them and leaned forward to Nikandros’ half-harden cock. He touched the tip gently with his lips and Nikandros’ eyes widened.

Usually it was inappropriate to get down on his knees for another man, especially when the other man is the crown prince or the king. This was reserved for the slaves and only for them.

But Nikandros knew that it wouldn’t help Damianos to tell him this, he had his own mind about things like this. Rules and norms didn’t exist for the young crown prince anyway. Nikandros was still trying to figure out if that was something good or something bad.

He otherwise couldn’t really blame Damianos for trying out things like this; he was still young, hadn’t had much opportunity before and was now getting to know himself and the different kinds of physical contact. So he decided to let him do and give in to the feeling around his cock.

Damianos’ warm wet mouth closed around it and a lustful moaning came out of Nikandors’ throat, he wanted to move his hips against this touch and gave completely in to this sensation but he could control himself. He didn’t know how much Damianos’ throat would stand and he didn’t want to exhaust it for now. So he preferred it to take on the role of a passive lover, which was strange considering that Damianos still seemed rather boyish despite his age. He didn’t yet have any particular beard growth, as well as body hair. His face was angular and sharp, suggesting that he was older and close to the 18, but still not in a way that would lead him being recognized as an Erastes. Just as little as someone would believe that Nikandros would take the role of an Eromenos.

Damianos moved his head up and down, adding his hand to massage the area that doesn’t fit into his mouth. He tried to exert different pressure with his tongue, hummed a bit from time to time and listened mainly to the body language Nikandros gave him during the act, so Damianos could react quickly when something felt especially good and when something felt less comfortable.

“Damianos”, said Nikandros panting and putting a hand in Damianos hair, crawling through the thick brown curls before he let go of his head again, leaning backwards on the tiles and moaning as he felt his orgasm building up. He somehow tried to warn Damianos with a gesture of his hand, but Damianos only looked at him encouragingly and Nikandros finally gave himself completely to his redemption and came in the mouth of his future king. Damianos didn’t flinch and swallowed, even if he closed his eyes and pulled his face a little, before he let go of Nikandros cock and leaned back a little.

He wiped with the wet back of his hand over his mouth and grinned proudly. Nikandros let his head fall back and tried to catch his breath again, while he went over again in his mind what exactly had just happened and how good it felt to get this kind of pleasure from him.

He was almost a little ashamed of it, after all it was not the job of Damianos to give him this pleasure orally.

He heard Damianos moving in the water and then pulling himself out of it, he sat next to him on the edge of the pool and lay back on the wet tiled floor of the bathroom. Nikandros looked to his side and shook his head amused. “You’re killing me, kid.”

“That’s what I am here for”, Damianos replied teasingly and Nikandros hit him gently against his side with the back of his hand, which only made Damianos laugh satisfied.

*

Damianos and Nikandros left the bathroom together, refreshed, deeply relaxed and freshly dressed. They were walking through the corridors of the palace when Damianos stopped. He heard his father’s voice. He listened closely. Apparently he was talking to Kastor.

Nikandros also stopped and looked at Damianos. “What is it?” he asked quietly.

“Nothing. Go on, I’ll come after you”, Damianos said and walked on quiet soles close to the wall to be able to listen better. He knew he shouldn’t do that but his father wouldn’t tell him something like that on his own and this clearly sounded like a more serious conversation.

“You know as well as I do that sooner or later we will be threatened with war, Father.” That was Kastor, who spoke to Theomedes in a sharp tone.

“I know Kastor, I’m not blind.”

“With all due respect, you saw how the negotiations went. Vere will never cooperate, in the eyes of this kingdom we are nothing more than savage barbarians without decency. They’ll think that we’re going to war immediately, and that’s why they’ll shut themselves off from our Nation.”

“And what exactly do you think is the smartest thing to do in this situation?”

“Fight the war they want. They assume that anyway, so why not put it into actions?”

“Kastor.”

“Father, listen to me, you can’t really be so blind and believe that a negotiation is possible to keep peace between our countries? They will not rest and if we don’t attack first, then they will attack us, do you want to let it come to that?”

“Kastor.”

“Mother would have-“

“Kastor!”

Damianos flinched when he heard that sharp warning voice of his father.

“I know what we’re going to do, let me worry about that and leave your mother out of it, don’t drag her soul into this, she really wouldn’t have wanted that. Now go, it’s getting late.”

“Yes Father.”

Damianos looked down to the floor. A war was coming.

“Damianos you can come out”, he heard his father say and Damianos raised his head and stepped forward.

“Son, it’s not proper to eavesdrop. Didn’t I teach you that?” his father asked rebuking.

“I know father” Damianos said nodding.

“Good, so you’ve already overheard most of it anyway”, his father said and looked at him thoughtfully. “We’ll talk at length tomorrow about it, tell Nikandros to come with you to the council chamber tomorrow.”

Damianos nodded. “Yes Father.”

“Good night then Damianos.”

“Good night.”

Theomed turned around and went along the corridor to his chambers. Damianos on the other hand went out into the garden; he had to clear his head a little before he went back to Nikandros.

By the Gods, Damianos had no idea how he should feel or think about everything he heard right now. There was the possibility of a war and they would discuss this tomorrow.

He couldn’t imagine how it was to be in a real fight against another country. What if… He thought about Nikandros, his comrade, his friend. _His lover._

He couldn’t imagine what could all happen and his chest ached at that thought. It was too painful thinking about it.

He sat down and looked up to the sky.

Praying to the gods and asking if this was love he felt right now in this situation.

Was this what they called love?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the kudos and your positiv feedback. :D


	7. Athena and Ares - war strategy

„The kingdom of Vere has had our territory under its crown for 90 years, Father”, said Kastor sharply, pointing with his index finger to the territory of Delfeur, formerly Delpha.

“I know Kastor”, said Theomedes and rubbed the bridge of his nose with his thumb and index finger. “Why do you think I called these negotiations?”

“To let them fail”, said Kastor dryly and straightened up. “I suggest we repeat the battle about Marlas. They won’t give up the area voluntarily; we’ll take back by force. If the kingdoms can’t agree, you heard Aleron himself speak about this.”

Theomedes considered Kastor with a critical look and nodded thoughtfully.

Damianos stood next to his father and looked down at the big map on the war table. As it seems to him, a direct confrontation with Vere could no longer be avoided. He frowned and pondered. A violent attack like Kastor suggested was not the right way to go against this. He had read a lot about the national history of Vere and learned about their war strategy through this. The frontal direct attack that Kastor suggested would be too predictable. Vere would expect this and maybe only wait for a action like this, he was sure of that.

“Damianos, do you have anything to say about this, you have looked at the map so critically since we are here and just listen to us”, Theomedes said to him. Damianos nodded thoughtfully, took his eyes off the map and looked at his father. “I can say something to this, yes.”

“Then share your knowledge with us”, said Theomedes.

Damianos smiled slightly, he could feel the disapproving look of Kastor resting on him, but he shook the feeling off quite quickly.

“Vere has an ingenious war strategy, which can easily keep up with ours”, Damianos then began to tell and was briefly interrupted by Kastor, who was just annoyed by this and said: “Did you read that in one of the many books?”

“Kastor”, Theomedes said sternly and Kastor fell silent. Damianos just threw him a side glance and then continued: “As far as I could read in the books about the warfare of the previous battles, Vere has a strategy that reminds one of an elaborate chess game. They analyze their enemy and use their own strategy against themselves, they play with their enemies on the battlefield, they have immediate alternatives if something doesn’t work out as first planned, they react immediately if an action is followed by a reaction.”

Theomedes nodded understandingly: “And what does that mean for us?”

“That means we have to be at least two steps ahead of them”, Damianos said explaining and looked over at the map. “In the older battles, Akielos always started with overseas attacks, because this was the most common way to get to our enemy. Vere will assume that we’ll start again like this and take the ship fleet to Marlas.”

“This is the only possibility we have Damianos”, Theomedes said confused by the statement.

“Not quite. We will send four ships with soldiers over to Marlas, the rest will leave some days before the ships and travel by horse to Marlas, preferably by the route over Patras.” He pointed with his fingers from Ios, along the way up over Thrace and Aegina into the mountains of Patras. Theomedes nodded.

“Vere wil probably come by ship with a war fleet and attack us there, on the mainland they will have the fortress surrounded by soldiers and archers, so we have to plan the land route so that we can be there in advance and surprise them from behind”, Damianos explained and continued to point the way with his finger. Theomedes nodded again, then said: “The strategy doesn’t sound bad, my son.”

Damianos smiled gently. “Vere know that we have a strong war fleet overseas and completely underestimates our power on land”, he continued: “They won’t really expect us to change our strategy, splitting the army in two and attack oversea and on land. This could be our chance to win Marlas and Delfeur back for us.”

Theomedes stood upright and looked at Damianos, his dark eyes looking at him and Damianos looked back at him. He was convinced that his strategy would work out, it had to work out, he had read a lot about warfare and he had also talked to Nikandros about it when they came up with the topic while sitting in the library or trained with the swords.

“I will take your strategy to heart and work it out for us”, Theomedes finally said.

Damianos smiled proudly: “Thanks Father.”

*

Nikandros had listened calmly to the meeting and let Damianos explain his thoughts on a suitable strategy without improving him and if he was honest? He didn’t even have to improve it much, because the way he took it, the idea Damianos had was a pretty safe one. Although Vere was always one step ahead of them in warfare, as their strategies were multi-faceted and different, Damianos’ approach would clearly get in the way of their plans and that would surprise Vere. Nikandros knew that the Veretians weighed themselves meanwhile in firm security, what Akielos and war guidance concerned. They still believed that the same strategies would be maintained and that the succession to the throne would probably be trimmed to comply with them. What they wouldn’t expect was the fact that Damianos is a different type of person, which brought some fresh wind into the planning of the strategies.

When the meeting was finished and Theomedes dismissed his two sons and him; Kastor was the first to step out of the room and Nikandros looked at him indifferently. He never liked him very much and was rather suspicious of him. Kastor was hot-headed and would never think about decisions for more than three seconds if he knew they could be to his advantage. His strategy would’ve killed them all in seconds at Marlas.

Nikandros looked back at Damianos, who spoke briefly with Theomedes, before he came up to him and smiled at him, leaning slightly against him and whispered: “Let’s go into the woods.”

Nikandros nodded in reply and said goodbye to Theomedes, who sat down at the table of the council chamber with a worried look on his face. Somehow Nikandros felt pity for the king, he knew what a good man he was and how important peace was to him, but it seemed to be inevitable. The battle would come, sooner or later, and hopefully it would be positive for Akielos.

*

Nikandros was taken into the forest by Damianos. The young crown prince had insisted on taking a short walk through the woods on the ground that he needed to get out into the fresh air to clear his head a little. Nikandros could understand this all too well, such news and meetings in this serious manner were anything but a light burden on the shoulders of a young person who still had so much ahead of him and yet lived such a short life.

“Damianos?”

“Yes Nik?”

Damianos stopped and turned to him, a slight smile on his lips and the brown eyes looking warmly towards him, but still Nikandros could see something in them that he had never really seen before. It was worry and fear, which were reflected in the warm brown tones of his eyes.

“How do you feel about that?” Nikandros asked directly and captured Damianos’ eyes, which often tended to avoid eye contact when he didn’t want his emotions to be recognized. Damianos, however, held his gaze firmly, only now and then one or the other emotion flickered through, then he said: “If I am honest, not good. I’m actually really scared and I’m worried. I’m confident that the strategy will work out but somewhere I’m thinking, what if I have completely underestimated Vere?”

Nikandros look became soft and he took a step towards Damianos, put his hand on the broad shoulder of the young crown prince before him, who put his hand on Nikandros’ and pressed it slightly in comfort.

“Damianos, I understand your thoughts and feelings very well. I felt the same way when I was about to fight my first battle. It resonates with fear and worry, fear if one will still see the morning, worry if the comrades will survive and many more emotions”, Nikandros began to say gently and Damianos nodded understandingly. “But what is important is one’s own will and good sense”, Nikandros then said seriously. “I know some men who have fallen because they underestimated the situation or overestimated themselves, others have fallen because they chose the wrong strategy in their minds, and others because they were simply not made for fighting.

Damianos looked into his eyes, a questioning expression lay on his face and Nikandros laughed softly. “In case you’re wondering what this is all about, quite simply, I only want to say that I don’t see any of this in you. You are strategically fit, one of the best fighters I have ever had the pleasure to train with and I know that the soldiers trust you.” He squeezed his shoulder gently. “You are a warrior by mind Damianos and a king by heart.”

“Thanks Nik”, Damianos said tenderly, smiling happily at him: “This really gives me courage. I know that the preparations will take some time but just then the time will pass very fast.”

He let their hands sink from his shoulder and interlocked their fingers, leaning forward and giving Nikandros a tender short kiss on the lips, like the soft touch of a butterfly wings.

Nikandros had no chance to react and kiss back when Damianos moved a step backwards and looked at him with a sad smile.

“Damianos, what else troubles you?” Nikandros asked with his head slightly tilted. Damianos swallowed heavily and lowered his gaze: “Nikandros, I know I shouldn’t think about it too much but.” He looked up, his eyes looking glassy and fearful. “I don’t know how to deal with his, but I’m so scared of losing you in this battle.”

Nikandros’ eyes widened and his chest contracted, it hurt to hear him speaking so openly and honest about his thoughts and emotions.

“Promise me that we’ll stay together in battle, not just because you’re my weapon brother but because you’re my best friend and.” Damianos shook his head slightly. Nikandros knew what he wanted to say but he was unable to say it out loud.

He smiled weakly and replied: “Of course Damianos. I promise I will stay with you, I will not leave your side in battle, I swear by Athena, I will not leave your side ever.”

Damianos smiled and wiped his free arm over his eyes. Nikandros greatly admired his will to keep his tears and emotion in check. He took a step towards him and grabbed Damianos’ chin with his fingers, moved his head so that Damianos looked at him, then Nikandros leaned forward and gave him a long intimate kiss on the lips. He put all his feelings for Damianos into the kiss, hoping to fill the gap in his last sentence Damianos left unfinished.

They broke away from their kiss after what feels like a long time and Damianos whispered softly against Nikandros lips: “Fíltatos.”

_Beloved._

*

“Get ready for departure, we ride off”, Theomedes announced loudly to the soldiers, who thereupon, in agreement, beat their swords against the shields. He tore around the reins of his horse and rode ahead. Damianos, Kastor and Nikandros followed him immediately, then the generals of the allied armies rode off and the foot soldiers followed.

The ships would leave two days later to reach Marlas at the same time as the army on land.

The battle was inevitable.

The strategy suggestion of Damianos was accepted and elaborated, and he had also been given the leadership of the soldiers. Theomedes had been the head of this and the planning in advance but Damianos would set the tone and give the orders in his battle.

Marlas would become Damianos’ first battle.

At the age of 19, together with his weapon brother Nikandros, against the enemy kingdom Vere.

Delfeur would belong them again, Damianos was sure of that.

*

Damianos didn’t know how much time had passed in which they were already on their way to Marlas but he could already make out behind the mountains of Patras Delfeur. They had almost made it, they had almost arrived and the battle would almost begin.

The troops around the akielon royal house took their last rest in peace before they would advance into battle and attack. So it was their last evening at the campfire, the last night they could spend together.

Damianos looked around the campfire, he watched the soldiers who ate and drank exuberantly, told each other stories and laughed extensively. He wondered how many of them would return home with him.

Thoughtfully he sipped his wine, which had been poured out to him in a gold decorated goblet. He looked up as he felt a hand on his shoulder. Nikadnros looked down at him and smiled. Damianos put the goblet aside and stood up, which seemed to surprise Nikandros, because he was about to sit down next to him but Damianos had another plan in mind, he grabbed Nikandros’ wrist and pulled him along to his tent, which was set up a little away from the campfire.

“It’s the last night Nik and I don’t know if we’ll see another morning when the battle begins. I have a request for you”, he said and let the heavy fabric curtains of the tent close before he looked back at Niakndros, who glanced at him with a waiting look and kept silent.

“I want to be close to you one last time. Make love to me befor we go into the unknown tomorrow. Just one last time, Fíltatos.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter will be the battle at Marlas. I think it will be a pretty long chapter and also will take some time. :'D
> 
> Small teaser for this chapter: There will be emotional Smut in the beginning and gore and more emotions in the end. :)
> 
> *
> 
> Kudos. Feedback. Bookmarks. Read. Everything appreciated, you really made my mood with all the feedback so far! <3 thank you so much!
> 
> *
> 
> If you want to read what's up in Vere before the battle -> https://archiveofourown.org/works/22743289/chapters/54344842


	8. Remember me, love

He said yes.

And if he was honest with himself, Damianos didn’t even have to express this wish, because both probably already knew that the last night before the battle would be used exactly for this. After all, it was the last night they could use.

The last night to break an unwritten taboo.

But no one would ever need to know what happen in the tents of the king’s son just before the all decisive battle.

And after Damianos stood before him so resolutely, expressing his desire and coming towards Nikandros to capture his lips in an intimate, passionate kiss, not waiting for a respond, he couldn't help but submit to it and give in to his own long awaited desire.

Nikandros wanted to make Damianos his. He wanted to make love to him.

He had long dreamed of sleeping with the young man.

He didn’t know how many nights he had lain awake and dreamed of being so close to him.

Nikandros took a lot of time to prepare Damianos. They had both sat down together on the bed roll on the floor, Nikandros had pressed Damianos back onto his back, kissed along his strong jaw line down to his throat, Damianos had bent his legs and opened them for Nikandros who carefully added a third finger, Damianos tensed noticeably around him and Nikandros held still, gave him time to get used to it, when he finally felt that he was slowly relaxing around him again and every now and then a soft heavy moaning could he heard, he continued. He carefully pushed with his fingers into him, changing the angles of his thrusts and searching his face for discomfort but all he found in Damianos’ face was pure lust.

“I think you can”, Damianos hissed out hoarsely between his lips and looked up at him pleadingly from his brown eyes, before he added: “Please, I want to feel you inside of me.”

Nikandros nodded in agreement and carefully pulled his fingers out of him, causing from Damianos’ a quiet frustrated sigh, his knees falling together but Nikandros placed himself in front of him, put his hands on his knees and spread his legs so that he could find room between them, he generously dripped oil from the jug onto his hard throbbing cock and give it a few strokes, then he took some more oil on his fingertips and rubbed the oil into Damianos’ entrance before he positioned himself and slowly pushed in his hole with the head of his cock.

The crown prince under him put his head back into the pillow, groaned as Nikandros slowly sank into it, Damianos nervously reached his hand around Nikandros’ wrist, stroked his fingertips over his hand and then interlocked their fingers. Nikandros leaned down to him and kissed him tenderly before he pushed further into him. He groaned hoarsely against the soft lips of the young man below him, who closed his eyes and also let out a lustful moan.

“You feel so good”, muttered Nikandros in a rough voice.

“I can say the same”, Damianos replied, breathing heavily.

The space of the tent was filled with hoarse moaning, sweet nothings in each other’s ears as skin moved against skin. Nikandros had seldom perceived the intercourse with another human being as intensely as now and he didn’t know whether it was the general situation or simply because it was Damianos who lay under him and moved towards him, while he made longing sounds and seemed more sensual than ever before. The feeling of being able to immerse himself again and again in the confinement of his crown prince, his lover and his closest friend was simply overwhelming and Nikandros was sure that it would only take a few more thrusts before he would reach his orgasm.

Damianos had put his hands on the shoulders of Nikandros, he too seemed to get closer and closer to his orgasm and Nikandros pulled the pace of his thrust a little bit. Damianos threw his head back into the neck, his fingernails dug into the strong flesh of Nikandros and Damianos moaned loudly; he came between their sweaty bodies and moved with him to ride out his orgasm. It doesn’t take long for Nikandros to come; he thrust into Damianos and spilled deep inside of him. He groaned loudly against the shoulder of the young man and ride out his orgasm, moving his hip against him before stopping in his movement.

Damianos and Nikandros were both breathing heavily, trying to regulate their breathing and to come down from their high, which they had never experiences as intense as before.

Nikandros looked down in the face of Damianos, smiling warmly at him, while the crown prince under him returned the smile with tears in his brown eyes.

“Damianos? Is everything all right? Did I hurt you?” Nikandros asked cautiously and put his hand to the heated blushed cheek of Damianos, who shook his head only weakly and said softly: “Everything’s all right, you haven’t hurt me.”

Nikandros exhaled with relief while Damianos leaned against the tender touch, kissing the palm of his hand gently.

“It was beautiful”, he heard Damianos then say softly and he laughed softly: “Yes it really was.”

Nikandros carefully withdrew from Damianos, which caused the younger one to groan pleasantly but also somehow frustrated. Nikandros smiled softly and leaned towards him, kissed him tenderly on the lips and stroked through his sweaty dark hair.

“We should go and get cleaned up”, Nikandros then murmured against his lips and Damianos agreed humming. But before that, Damianos kissed him again, this time more intense and passionate than before, Nikandros was only happy to give in to the kiss with a satisfied and happy smile on his lips.

“I love you Nik”, Damianos said with a slight sad undertone, because they both knew that this love affair wouldn’t be for long.

“I love you too Damianos”, replied Nikandros with a rough voice.

But for now, it doesn’t matter how long they would have each other, important was, that they had each other in times like this.

*

Damianos didn’t know how much time had passed since he and his soldiers fought their way through Delfeur to Marlas. The Veretians were unyielding, stood them death-defying in the way and attacked. The Akielons struck out for a brutal counterattack. Damianos noticed that his men seemed to fight bravely so far. He himself was right in the middle of the action and so often lost the focus of his people on his enemies in front of him, who attacked him with angry battle cries, swung their swords at him, which Damianos knew how to fend off. He held up his shield and shielded himself from a powerful hit of a Veretian that tried to hit him with aggressiveness, so that Damianos had no other choice than to defend himself with his shield and go backwards to seek protection behind it. He managed himself in such a way that he had his sword under control again and with the shield he intercepted the next hit of the Veretian, pushed him away with full force and then took a blow with his sword himself, the blade caught the man, stabbed through his stomach and injured him life threateningly. The man fell to the ground, holding his bleeding wound with both hands, his sword clanging beside him.

Damianos pulled his sword out of the man’s stomach and paid no further attention to the dying man, he continued to fight his way through the fighters, slashing them with his shield and stabbing them with his sword. Like a raging lion, he fought his way through the fighting bodies. He had a clear goal in mind – to catch up with Nikandros, whom he had lost in course of the fight.

He heard the clang of blades colliding, the muffled sound of sword hitting shield and terribly intense noise of someone being sentenced to death.

Then he perceived a familiar voice. A voice he would recognize over and over again, even in death. It was the voice of the person he was looking for in the bloody war. He turned his head to the side and saw Nikandros, who fought bitterly against a blond soldier in golden armor. He looked at the badge on his dark blue cape; a gold star. This had to be the crown prince of Vere; Auguste.

Nikandros bravely stood up to Auguste, parried each of his blows and defended himself to the utmost. With a loud battle cry he pushed the young Veretian back into the corner, who grudgingly tried to parry and swing to a blow, which he finally succeeded in doing. Auguste took a swing, Nikandros couldn’t protect himself in this brief moment and Auguste caught him by the lower leg with his sword, he backed away and raised his sword again.

Damianos acted and jumped into the action, stood in front of Nikandros with his shield raised, thus shielding the injured that was holding the bleeding wound. He looked at Auguste who had retreated in horror and looked at him with big blue eyes. His blond hair stuck to his head in sweat.

“Damianos”, he heard Nikandros saying with a heavy breath, who seemed at least as perplexed by the change of the battle. Damianos, on the other hand, didn’t react to his friend’s displeasure but he said: “Go to my charioteer, he shall take you back to the camps, you need a physician.”

Nikandros just nodded and turned around, he limped in the direction from which the charioteer of Damianos came and hoisted himself on top of the chariot. Damianos could thus at least know Nikandros to be safe.

Damianos was finally alone with Auguste. He looked dangerously over at him, lurking like a lion that had a magnificent prey in front of him, while Auguste looked at him and took up his fighting position. The first blow of Auguste was struck. Damianos parried, he pushed him back with force and Auguste stumbled backwards. Damianos struck out with the shield and hit it against Auguste’s upper body, who was able to parry with his shield at the last minute. Metal clashing against Metal. Auguste held his own against Damianos’ attacks and gave a good deal to Damianos, as he had to admit. Auguste was a good fighter, maybe one of the best he had ever been allowed to fight against.

However, in a moment of carelessness on Damianos’ part, Auguste managed to injure him with the blade of his sword. He cut through the flesh and left a heavily bleeding wound on his left collarbone. Damianos sucked in the air sharply and turned his gaze to Auguste who, self-satisfied, retreated to the next blow. Arrogant to think of him; but they both knew that one of them would give her life. Only who, this fight here, would decide the fate of them and their nations.

Damianos drew his sword, Auguste did the same and they both took the final blow. Damianos sped forward at speed, dodged Auguste who had fallen forward too quickly; he turned and stabbed with his sword. He caught Auguste on the unprotected flank and pierced through it. The prince gasped and stumbled. Auguste fell forward on his knees. Damianos pulled his sword out of him and then cut the straps of his golden armor, with his shield he finally hit him over the back so that Auguste could no longer hold on and fell into the mud.

The blond crown prince coughed miserably and spat blood, Damianos could see him trying to stand up again, but his weakened body pulled him back to the ground. He rolled himself on his back with the last of his strength and looked up at Damianos with blue eyes. Blood ran down the corner of his mouth in fine rivulets and he spoke softly in a fragile voice: “It was a fair fight Damianos. You are an honorable man for protecting your friend. I would’ve killed him.”

Damianos lost his facial expression for a short moment, but quickly recovered and shook his head, then he stabbed his sword. The coup de grace. The blade forced its way through Auguste’s rib cage. A tortured cry of pain escaped the bloody lips of the crown prince. Damianos placed his foot on the blond man’s upper body and pulled out his sword.

“Damianos!”

He turned around and saw his father coming towards him. Theomedes jumped down from his chariot and came towards Damianos and looked at the wound on his collarbone.

“Come with me boy, we must get you to the tent quickly”, he heard him say worriedly. It was only now that Damianos realized the pain of the cut and how his body was slowly fading. The adrenaline from the fight had left his body and left a created shell.

“Damianos, stay with me, you hear me?” Damianos heard Theomedes say, but his voice sounded far away. He felt his father slowly take him towards the chariot. White dots danced in front of his inner eye, probably due to the blood loss. On his lips, however, a small smile formed.

They had made it. The battle was decided. The crown prince Auguste had fallen.

Akielos won.

*

“Is this the underworld?”

Nikandros turned to Damianos and let out a relieved sigh, he had woken up again. Good for him.

“No it’s not you idiot”, he said harshly, shaking his head.

“Good”, was Damianos’ simple answer with a little smile on his lips. “You’re all right so far? How’s your leg doing?”

“Has been medicated and is healing slowly. But you have been much worse off”, said Nikandros, his voice resonating with concern and he watched Damianos looking down on himself. Above his left collarbone was a bandage which was wrapped cleanly over the long incision, it was slightly reddened where it had slightly bled through.

“The physicians have taken good care of it, you should only rest a little”, Nikandros explained what the doctors had told him. Just as he should do it but as he learned that Damianos had become unconscious, he just had to be at his side.

Damianos nodded. “How did it turn out? I… did we win? I know I killed the crown prince of Vere.”

“Yes, just to protect me”, Nikandros threw in with a bitter smile on his lips and then said: “Thank you for this.”

“Don’t. I’m glad you made it out of there alive”, Damianos replied with a soft smile.

“But to answer the question, we won. King Aleron also died in the battle. Vere retreated with more losses and gave up”, Nikandros then explained to him and Damianos nodded: “That’s good.Very good. My father is okay so far? I know it was he who took me back to the tents.”

“Your father is doing well, he coordinates the troops for the cleanup and at the same time negotiates how to proceed with Delpha.”

“I see.”

Nikandros sat down at the side of the bed roll to Damianos, stretched but his leg a little, which was bandaged and had a dark red spot on it.

“Nik your leg”, Damianos said in shock.

“It’s fine. The spot is from old blood, nothing serious”, Nikandros just waved it off. He had quite different worries than his leg, which hurt for but did nothing else to him. He leaned over to Damianos and carefully gave him a tender kiss on the lips, which he promptly returned. The kiss was bittersweet and emotionally charged. Damianos deepened the kiss longingly and Nikandros adapted to it. Passionately, both put their feelings for each other into this tender touch of relief.

“I was so afraid that one of us would find the other dead on the field”, Damianos confessed quietly against his lips.

“I was also afraid and I am glad that this is not the case”, Nikandros replied.

“So fate does seem to be with you at times”, Damianos said with a happy smile.

“Yes. Sometimes it seems so”, Nikandros said: “Although I believe that fate had its own plan for us both from the beginning.”

“There might be something to it”, Damianos said approvingly: “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“Me neither.”

Damianos pulled Nikandros back with him on the bed roll of the tent, so Nikandros lay beside him; just like they usually did. Silently they lay next to each other and looked up at the ceiling, a satisfied expression on their faces. Nikandros knew that Damianos was fully satisfied with the outcome of the battle; it was finally exactly as he had planned in his strategy. An easy victory for their country and Delpha was now their territory again. Everything had gone exactly as planned.

Nikandros felt a pride in him.

Damianos had really made it far.

*

“Nikandros. Damianos. Come with me, I must talk to you”, said Theomedes when he crossed the ways of them in the corridors of the palace. Damianos and Nikandros nodded and followed Theomedes into the council chamber.

“Delpha has now become our territory again”, Theomedes began and thoughtfully looked at the two before him. Nobody said anything, so Theomedes went on: “The fact is that Delpha now needs a Kyros, someone to take care of the area and run it.”

Damianos could imagine what was coming but he waited with what his father had to tell them.

“Nikandros I want you to take this position. You’re a good man, a strong commander and the best soldier in the Kingsguard and trustworthy comrade of my son. It would be only too fair to raise you in your position and leave Delpha to you after this successful battle”, Theomedes continued.

Damianos felt a sting in his heart. He knew that Nikandros would not refuse the offer, partly because it would be considered terribly rude to refuse such a high position and it was not in the mind of his father, who had already decided so anyway. Of course Damianos was also happy for Nikandros, to get such a high position after such a success, but it would also mean that from here on their ways would separate and that again was very painful to admit.

“I take the position with great thanks, exalted”, said Nikandros and bowed respectfully.

“I had hoped so”, he replied: “The necessary preparations have also been made. I put my best men at your disposal that will accompany you and give you advice and assistance at Delpha.”

“Thank you. I am much honored to be the Kyros of Delpha.”

Damianos smiled warmly. “Congratulations, Nik. So the battle was a complete success for both of us.”

“Thanks Damianos, it definitely was, hero of Akielos”, Nikandros replied winking.

*

The day of farewell had come. Nikandros had saddled his horse, the wagons were also loaded and the soldiers who would accompany him were ready for departure.

“It’s hard to believe that the time has come and that we have to go our separate ways”, Damianos said and stroked the neck of the noble horse of Nikandros.

“That’s true, after all these years”, he sighed heavily in reply. “I’ll miss you a lot, kid.”

Damianos grinned sadly. “I’m going to miss you too.” He looked up to him and said: “But don’t miss me too much, I wish for you to have a good life there, with everything you need to be happy.”

Nikandros nodded. “Please do me a favor and do the same.”

“Of course.”

Nikandros looked over at the soldiers who were impatiently waiting to leave, he looked back at Damianos. “I should get going.”

“Yes, don’t let them wait too long”, Damianos agreed with a sad smile. “We keep in touch by letter?”

“I insist you keep me updated on what’s going on here without me and how you’re doing.”

Damianos laughed heartily. “I hope we can manage to keep things running smoothly without you here.”

“I trust you can do this.” Nikandros winked teasingly. “And I’m sure I’ll visit you more often, even outside of negotiations.”

“I really hope you do, at least once a year off schedule”, Damianos said with a smile.

“I will.”

Nikandros leaned over to Damianos and gave him a last kiss on the lips. One last kiss for forever, probably. Damianos replied that he missed him longingly. They released the kiss and Nikandros swung onto his horse, looked down at Damianos one last time.

“I love you, my friend and new Kyros of Delpha.”

“I love you too, Philtatos and Hero of Akielos.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's done. This chapter was a wild ride. I worked over one week on it, making notes on my mobile phone, doing a huge amount of research for battle scenes, writing down the first draft in three days. Editing it. Translating it. Editing it again.  
But now I am done. I hope you liked this chapter, it turned out a bit longer than the other chapters.
> 
> Let me know what you think about it. :D  
(It was also the first battle scene I've ever wrote.. I was so nervous to write it ;o; )
> 
> *
> 
> Update:  
Wanna read the very first night of Damianos and Nikandros? Click here ->  
https://archiveofourown.org/works/22929223


	9. Veni. Vidi. Cecidi ad vos.

**One year after Marlas**

_Hello Damianos,_

_Delpha is now doing quite well under my rule. The people are still a bit difficult to handle ‘cause they can’t or won’t accept the new circumstances, but I can’t really blame them either, after all, they were an area of Vere for a long time and have got used to it over the time, so it’s kind of unfair to tear them out of it now. But I’m constantly trying to make compromises with them, slowly I think we’re getting on a common path but it will take time, a lot of time maybe._

_The soldiers who came with me from Ios have at least settled in here quite well and we have founded a stable military now._

_I hope everything is okay over there?_

_By the way, as difficult as the people are, I have made some new acquaintances among them and also met a woman who grew really dear to me. Her name is Andria, once you’re here, I’ll introduce you. I think you’ll get along fine, somehow she reminds me of you sometimes._

_Nikandros_

_  
*_

_Hello Nik_

_That’s good news so far. I think the people will get used to it, you seem to be on a good way, just give them some more time._

_Here is everything okay so far, all the internal political things are still a bit much somehow but father wants to involve me now fully after our success of Marlas. Kastor is not so enthusiastic to see me in the council room every time but he will get used to it, I think._

_I am very happy to read that you have met a woman and if she reminds you of me, I can only write that you should definitely keep her. Andria is also a very beautiful name, it would be a pleasure to meet her at times._

_Daminaos_

_*_

**Four years after Marlas.**

_Hello Damianos,_

_Andria says you should come and visit us again, she misses you very much, just like I miss you._

_Today is also a really nice sunny day again; I often look back at the days where we spend those sunny days at the training place. I also really miss our time afterwards where we relaxed in the lake or at the bath’. I think back to it a lot, you too?_

_I miss you,_

_Nikandros_

_*_

_Hello Nik,_

_Don’t worry, I’ll be back soon. Tell Andria the same, okay? Now that you’re raving about it, I also look back to the old days and I also think about it a lot, yes._

_My favorite memory is still our first kiss in the cave and what happened in your hut afterwards, thinking about it gives me a warm feeling in my chest. I really miss you a lot too._

_See you soon,_

_Damianos._

**Five years after Marlas.**

Nikandros was about to travel back to Ios, because of important talks and negotiations on how to proceed with Vere after all those years. There had been five years of peace since the battle of Marlas but both nations were aware that this wouldn’t last for forever. Vere was seething beneath the rigid mask of them and they were still in deep mourning for their losses. It was a hard five years for the country and it was only a matter of time when the next blow would come and since Delpha was former territory of Vere, the area was very much on the brink of collapse, especially as far as the local people were concerned, they were still difficult to handle and also still facing the “new” Kyros very critical.

“Damianos”, Nikandros greeted his friend with outstretched arms and a delighted smile on his lips.

“Nikandros”, Damianos replied just as pleased and embraced Nikandros firmly and said: “Long time no see, my friend.” He gave him a warm smile.

“Yes, that is true, but the duties didn’t allow it otherwise, unfortunately”, said Nikandros apologetically.

“I know”, Damianos replied: “How is Andria doing?”

“She is fine”, Nikandros said with a loving smile on his face and Damianos grinned bright as he took a step aside, behind him stood a woman. Blond long wavy hair, deep blue eyes and pale skin. Her face was finely cut; she had high cheekbones and possessed an all-round breathtakingly beautiful charisma, in the first moment, Nikandros thought, he was looking at a statue of Aphrodite, but her expression was more alike of Hera’s, cool and calculated.

“Nik, this is Jokaste, my beloved one”, Damianos introduced the blonde woman, who brought her lips up to a tender smile and bowed slightly. “Very pleased to meet you. Nikandros, right? I’ve heard a lot about you.”

Her voice was distanced; the words roll over her tongue like poison.

“Right. Nice to meet you too, my lady”, Nikandros replied smiling and also bowed respectfully to her. Damianos watched the scene with a smile, as Nikandros remarked. He seemed to be really happy with her, which made him happy too but somehow he had a bad feeling concerning the woman. He couldn’t explain it to himself exactly, but something about her was bothering him.

Nikandros saw Theomedes coming towards them and greeted him, than he took Damianos and him into the council room.

The conversations were relatively flat and somehow Nikandros didn’t have the feeling that there would be any big change at the moment. He was only asked to keep an eye on Vere, which he could do well while Delpha was at the direct border; but apart from that not much new was discussed on the first day here, especially since Nikandros was well informed about the current political situation of Ios through the lively exchange of letters with Damianos.

In the late afternoon the talks were finally finished and Nikandros and Damianos decided to take a walk outside the palace. They talked about all the things that happened, especially privately and that didn’t fit into the letters, when it came to the topic of women and love.

Nikandros opened up with his concern about Jokaste but Damianos only waved it away and that was fatal, Nikandros thought. Unfortunately Damianos has always been involved in such things with too much feeling, too much heart and too much passion, which is why he sometimes lacked an eye for the essential. He had been able to observe it often during his visits over the last years, even if it was only about female slaves. He knew Damianos better than anyone else and he simply distrusted Jokaste.

Maybe it was because Damianos had become a gentle and tender lover who would do anything for his beloved one and who would quickly give his heart to whomever he liked and Nikandros was unsure whether the cool and calculated figure of Jokaste would accept this for long.

Nikandros also knew from Damianos that it had taken a long time for Jokaste to let him be her lover and that she had always refused him before.

But he would let Damianos do as he think, he seemed to be happy with Jokaste and Nikandros should take this into account. He only hoped he wouldn’t regret it.

*

Nikandros came back to Delpha after three days in Ios. Andria was already waiting for him; she approached him and embraced him lovingly. Nikandros returned the embrace, put his arms around the narrow waist of his beloved woman and pressed her gently against him. Delpha still didn’t really feel like a home to him but Andria had managed it to make it at least a little bit like home and that meant the world to him.

He took a deep breath and absorbed her sweet smell; her dark hair has the smell of the roses from the garden. He loved it.

“I’m glad you’re back, Nikandros”, she said gently, her voice sounded deep and warm, she took a step back. Her long dark brown hair was braided at the sides and her green eyes shone like two emeralds.

“I am happy to be with you again; too”, he replied warmly and bent over to kiss her soft full lips. Andria lovingly returned the kiss, then she said: “Tell me, how was it in Ios? How’s Damianos? You look kind of worried about something?”

Nikandros smiled dully, pulled Andria with him to their shared room where he could talk to her in peace.

“It’s incredible how easily you can see my emotions”, said Nikandros amused.

“Nik, you don’t have to be good at seeing things like this, you’re like an open book and easy to see through”, she said teasingly and crossed her arms in front of her chest, her dark toga slipped easily off her shoulder. “So tell me, what happened?”

Nikandros finally told about the encounter with Jokaste and what a feeling he had with her and that Damianos is too reckless and doesn’t see what kind of woman she is obviously. Andria listened to him eagerly, she had sat down next to him in the meantime and taken his hand in hers, stroking the back of his hand with her ringed thumb.

“Nik you worry too much about the boy who is no longer a boy”, she said with a gentle smile on her lips.

“I know that he’s no longer on, but somehow”, he broke off and lowered his eyes. “I don’t know, I have a bad feeling about this. I think there’s something else coming up.”

She looked at him and said: “Look, you can follow it further between the two, I also think that Damianos will let you know if something tragic happens between them, but don’t worry too much about it, yeah? Let the boy have his fortune with Jokaste, as I have witnessed he worked hard for it.” Andria stroked through his long dark hair and looked at him: “I think you’re getting too much into your head. I can understand your concerns towards Jokaste, she doesn’t sound like Queen’s favorite to me either, but maybe she seems so distant and reserved simply because she can’t be with strangers in general? And when you say she has heard a lot about you, I know Damianos too, I know how open minded he is about the relationship you two share, maybe she doesn’t know how to deal with it either, especially in front of you?”

He nodded understandingly after Andria was finished with her speech. He was so grateful for his woman; she was a gift from the gods.

“Thanks, I think that was something I needed to hear”, he then said.

“Glad to hear that you listened to me”, she said teasingly and kissed his forehead affectionately. “Now, come with me. We’re going to eat something and then to the bath’, all right? And there I’ll take your mind off those things, so that no worry lines will form on your pretty forehead.”

“I would love that”, Nikandros said smiling and let himself be pulled up from Andria, she was laughing heartily at it.

Nikandros sighed dreamily at that sight. She always radiated so much security and positivity and she always was so radiant.

Her name suited her very well. Andria the radiant; his radiant beloved woman.

**Six years after Marlas.**

“Nikandros, this letter just arrived from Ios. The messenger said it was urgent”, said Andria when she came in with the letter in her hand and handed it to Nikandros, who was sitting at his wooden table, going through some documents. He looked up and took the letter, astonished, because the seal was that of Theomedes. He frowned and opened the envelope, then took out the note and read it through.

His eyes widened and his hand trembled with every word.

“Nik? What does the letter say?” Andria inquired worryingly and approached him.

“This cannot be true”, Nikandros replied and dropped the letter on the table. Shocked, he looked over at Andria, who still looked at him. “Nik? Tell me, what was in the letter?”

She gently laid a hand on his arm.

“Damianos. Theomedes. They are….”, his voice broke off, he swallowed heavily, looked back at the letter. This can’t be true. No. It was not true for anything in this world could this being true.

He knew that Theomedes was sick but Damianos? Why him? Why would his own household do this?

Andria then took the letter from the table, she read through it. Her facial expression fell all of a sudden and she let her hand sink with the letter.

“Nik”, she breathed softly. “I’m so terribly sorry about this…. No.” She hugged her lover, who allowed himself to break down for the first time in a long time and let his feelings run free.

_King Theomeds died of the illness that had afflicted him weeks ago._

_Crown Prince Damianos was murdered; it is assumed that his own household did this terrible assassination._

_Kastor thus now takes over the throne together with Jokaste, his wife._

*

Memento Mori…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We made it. My very first long FanFiction that is completely done.  
Thanks to everyone who left Kudos and comments! I really appreciated it and you kept me motivated during the writing process. <3
> 
> I hope you liked this Story and I also hope we will see us in the second part of this - Memento Mori, where we see how Nikandros is dealing with Damianos "Death" until the point where he is going to meet him again.
> 
> But first - Veritas. Aequitas is going to get a second chapter, out of the POV of Laurent.
> 
> *
> 
> Btw I also have tumblr - You can find me there with the same nickname as here 'Apollynos'


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